Marassa and Midnight- Review - Pt.1

Book Facts

Author

Morna Stewart


Illustrator

Janina Ede


Publisher

Heinemann Educational Publishers


Year of Publication

1966


Genre

Historical Fiction


Tense and Point of View

The story is written in the past tense. It is written in the third person point of view.


Setting (Time)

The story begins in January of the year 1791, in the midst of the French Revolution.


Setting (Place)

The story takes place in two prime locations. First, we encounter the country of France, where Marassa is sold and shipped as a page to a French marquis. We then go back to San Domingo, Haiti, where Midnight is living as a runaway slave.



Plot

Marassa and Midnight is a story of two twin boys who work on slave plantation in Haiti during the French Revolution. When the twins are eleven years old, they are separated when Marassa is sold as a page to a French Marquis. Moons upon moons pass by, and the twins worry if they will ever see each other again. Finally, after many trials and tribulations, the twins find each other once again in what is a heartfelt reunion.


Special Point of Concern

My special point of concern is the ending of the story. As I have elaborated on in my critique, the story centers on Marassa and Midnight and their struggle to reunite, having them miss each other by just a wrong turn of fate, giving the story a sort of pre-climax at every couple of chapters. Finally, when the twins do manage reunite, the novel hurriedly ends. I think the author should have extended the story longer, stating what happens after their reunion.

Main Characters


Marassa

Marassa, the twin of Midnight, is an eleven-year-old Haitian slave boy. Although Marassa and Midnight are twins, they are completely different. The name Marassa means “twin”. Marassa is tall, strong and thin. He is also gentle, obedient and polite. Marassa is the twin that is sold as a page to a French marquis. However, as time goes on, and more and more moons without his brother pass, Marassa grows to be violent, rude and ungrateful, but he then remembers his manners.


Midnight

Midnight is the twin who remains in Haiti. He is called Midnight because that was the hour the twins were born. Midnight is the clever twin. He is also more forward and fierce. He is also the faster runner of the twins. He suffered grievously from the loss of Marassa.


Tir nan Og

Tir nan Og is a kind Scottish Highlander who rescues and nurses Marassa back to health after he finds him near death after his master left him, then takes him to Haiti. Marassa calls him by the name of his estate - Tir nan Og, which is very like the name of the Creole god, Ti nan Ogoun. He becomes somewhat of a mentor and friend to Marassa.


Papa Doctor

Papa Doctor is a friend of the Beke’s (cruel name for English slave masters, but throughout everything the wise old Papa Doctor stands out as the voice of tolerance and a figure of hope. He meets Midnight one night, and becomes to him what Tir nan Og is to Marassa. He later discovers that Papa Doctor is the twin’s uncle, the brother of their father. Papa Doctor lived with his wife and two young sons in a little house on the edge of his Beke’s estate.

Themes


Injustice

Injustice was a very strong theme throughout the Marassa and Midnight story. It was shown throughout the whole Slave Trade around that time, when slaves were beat by their white Bekes. Black slaves were treated very unfairly. Injustice was also shown when Marassa was mistaken for the runaway Midnight, and the white Beke Milord dragged Marassa on the back of his carriage, while whipping him. However, even though the white Bekes treated the black salves unfairly, when the black slaves revolted against them, they responded with an even fiercer attitude. They slaughtered all the white people mercilessly, showing that even slaves can portray injustice, even though it was for revenge.



Love/Loyalty

Love was shown by the story’s main characters, Marassa and Midnight, throughout the whole story. They were truly the mascots of brotherly love. When they became separated, you truly saw how much they loved each other. Throughout the whole story, their love for each other is shown as they faithfully try to reunite with one another, but are separated by a mere plot of land. After much suffering, the twins are finally reunited, and their love for each is shown more then ever.



Hospitality/Helpfulness

Hospitality is another major theme in this story. It is shown by Papa Doctor, who helped Midnight and acted as a sort of mentor and friend to him. It was also shown Tir nan Og, who helped to restore Marassa back to health when he found him sick in France, He then traveled to Haiti with him, and helped him to find his brother. Papa Doctor also showed hospitality to Marassa and Tir nan Og when he met them, and provided them with shelter while they stayed in Haiti.



Bravery

Bravery was also a theme illustrated in the text. It was shown by Midnight, when he went into the Twin Mountains by himself, even though it was believed they were haunted by the spirit of Ogoun.


Respect/Authority

Respect is shown in the story by all the black salves, who are of African descent. Because of their African descent, they worship the god Ogoun, and fear him. They dare not disrespect him, for this shall have dire consequences. Also, in the same way, authority is shown by the white Bekes. The slaves, although they may not respect them in a good way, they respect them because they have the power to flog them whenever they like.