Summary of Aline´s Journey

Edwigde Danticat wrote Aline´s Journey in 2003
The story is 1st person view, where we follow Aline from Haiti to USA. Aline lives in a two concrete house, in a town called Sayira, in Haiti. Aline´s house in Haiti gets often flooded, when it rains a lot and they often have to wait for the water to die down, before they can go back to their beds. One night Aline woke up, and got told that she needs to pick a dress, because they are moving to United States. Aline picked the light blue dress, with puffed sleeves and ruffled skirt. Aline asked Papa, about who will take care for the house, and she was wondering why she could not, say goodbye to her friends and family members. It was full moon, and a boat, anchored the beach. A man was standing on the deck, beneath the sails, watching people arrive. Aline was surprised, why Magalie Benoit is moving to United States also, when she was just done with cooking course. The sea was calm for the most of the night. They did not have too much water to drink. They land in Bahamas to take another boat to United States. In the other boat, they have to squeeze to find some room. The other boat moved also faster and made more noise when it slides across the ocean. Suddenly Aline woke up, and Papa was telling her to be brave and jump into the water. She could see lights from tall building, and highway with car speeding. She could also see a much bigger boat with blazing lights shining on them, and she could hear a man in loudspeakers telling them to stand still and do not jump in the water. Aline, Papa, Manman, Jojo, and other people from the boat were arrested at the shore, men were handcuffed. They were all taken to a compound in a place called Krome. Men and women were separated. Aline, Manman and Jojo were taken to a hotel, while Papa was kept in Krome. Aline, Manman and Jojo got a room assigned in the hotel and they got a guard assigned to their room to watch out for them. After that day, they got some gray uniforms to wear. After they have been in the hotel for few weeks, they were taken to a court where they met Papa, and the judge told them that they are going to be sent back to Haiti. At the hotel their lawyer told them that they will appeal our case, which can take long time. Manman also told the real reason why Aline, Manman, Papa and Jojo left Haiti.

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