March 13, 2010

Dear Carpentier,

            I’ve been reading your book, The Kingdom of this World, recently in my college English class, and I’ve been curious about something in you book and was hoping you could answer it for me. In your novel, in part two, chapter three, the Negroes revolt against their owners and take control of the house. Their “signal” for this revolt was the sound of a “conch-shell trumpet.” I was wondering, why use the conch shell as their battle instrument? Was there a purpose for using this specific item from the sea, or was it just a decision of coincidence? Were the conches chosen to symbolize something ancient, tribal, or barbaric about the Negroes culture as seen by their communication? “It was as though all the shell trumpets of the coast, [all the Indian limbis], all the purple conchs that served as doorstops, all the shells that lay alone and petrified on the summits of the hills, had begun to sing in chorus” (66). I may be looking too much into something of little importance, but throughout the book there are obvious mentions about the difference in the human hierarchy. I believe that through the use of this natural item that was being used as a doorstop places the Negroes on a way more “barbaric” and even less evolved mentally than their owners. Sure, what else could they have used – they have nothing to begin with. I just see the specific use of a “conch-shell” as trying to explain even more the differences between the owners and the owned. I hope to hear back from you with the truth behind this possibly meaningless detail!

                                                                                                Curious,

                                                                                                            Vaughn Elkourie