IA Proposal

The story that I choose to adapt is "Caroline's Wedding." I will use the scene before Caroline's wedding, and the scene when Ma gives a teddy as a gift to Caroline. In the play, teddy bear will be the narrator of the story, most of the part will be flashback. I think the play is interesting because unlike the usual play, which narrators are often human beings, this play's narrator is a toy/teddy. The characters in this play are Ma, Caroline, and Teddy(voice). The story will start by teddy's monologue, he will talk about how he was "adopted" by the family, and what is the situation between Ma and Caroline after the wedding. Then, he will start to recall about the first day he got here. Ma bought a gift to Caroline. This actually shows that Ma is changing her old concept because of her daughter. Before, she did not accept any traditions or behaviors from US, because she thought she is a Haitian, and she should not change it. But because of her daughter Caroline, she changed her mind, and even went to the store to ask them what is the perfect gift for a girl in Caroline's age. One of the main themes in the story is national identity. However, Ma changed her inherent beliefs because of Caroline. Then, the next scene take places during midnight. When Ma is sleeping, Caroline still awakes. On her bed, she will wearing pajamas and talk to the teddy bear. Even though she looks like she is talking to the teddy bear, she is actually talking to herself. She will talk about how her Ma cooked the bone soup everyday just because she wanted her to change a husband. At this part, it will be a flashback. In the flashback, it shows how she refused to drink the bone soup and how she quarrel with her mom. She then forgives her mom because she recognizes that her mom did this because she loves her. And she will recognize that her mom changed her beliefs because of her. At the last of the play, it will also be teddy's monologue. He will talk about the life in Caroline's family after the wedding. Like Caroline will visit her mom each week, her husband Eric will also helping her mom cooking in the kitchen. In this scene, it shows the theme of family love. It is the love from a mother to a daughter. Also, this scene shows mother-daughter relationships. Before, mother and daughters relationship is bad, because her mom refused a non-Haitian to be her daughter's husband. But now, because Caroline realizes that Ma did this because she loves her, Caroline starts to forgive her mom's behavior so that their relationship becomes better. This play will highlight family love, mother-daughter relationship, and identity. By showing these three themes to audience, they will know how Danticat thinks about them. Mother and daughter occurs a lot in the story, it is not only a conflict between generation, it is also the difference between two generations. Ma represents the old and traditional Haitian identity, Caroline represents the new thinking and US identity. By focusing on this two characters, it will show how the culture relates and influence two generations.

25 things in KK

Caroline's Wedding:

1. Mom

2. Daughters

3. Father

4. Husband

5. Bone soup

6. Certificate paper

7.  Beds

8. Artificial limb

9. Gifts

10. Wedding ring

11. Tears

12. Neighbors

13. Sadness

14. Jealousy

15. Anxiety

16. Passport

17. Black dress

18. White dress

19. Immigrants

20. Comfort

21. Salty taste(bone soup)

22. Haitian culture

23. American culture

24. Sister

25. Arguing