Plot Summary
The oppression of the Cuban people at the end of the 19th century is described through the eyes of historical figures such as Rosario Castellanos Castellanos and her husband José Francisco Varona. Three wars and the hardships endured by the Cuban people are outweighed by the unselfish acts of Rosa la Bayamesa.
Critical Analysis
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom is divided into five sections: "The Names of the Flowers 1850-51," "The Ten Years' War 1868-78," "The Little War 1878-80," "The War of Independence 1895-98," and "The Surrender Tree 1898-99." Engle uses free verse as her characters narrate the story, from their perspective, of Cuba's appalling history. The author's notes at the beginning of her book give the reader a glimpse of what atrocities lie ahead:
"On February 16, 1896, Cuban peasants were ordered to leave their farms and villages. They were given eight days to reach "reconcentration camps" near fortified cities.
Anyone found in the countryside after eight days would be killed.
Anyone found in the countryside after eight days would be killed.
My great-grandparents were two of the refugees."
Engle includes a historical note in the back of the book which explains that, with the exception of Silvia and the oxcart driver, the characters include key figures in the history of Cuba. Engle used the diaries of soldiers and war correspondents upon which to base her characters. No one knows exactly what happened, so Engle freely admits she did use her own imagination in weaving the thoughts and actions of her characters. A timeline of Cuba's history from 1810-1902 and a list of 13 references further show the research Engle used to create her novel in verse.
Engle does not state why she chose to tell Cuba's story through free verse instead of prose. Perhaps it was to better see the beauty of life through the eyes of Rosa. As she gathers herbs in the forest, she says "every leaf is a heart-shaped moment of peace." Or maybe Engle's imagery helps the reader to feel the unquenchable hatred of war and greed through the eyes of Lieutenant Death. When Rosa treats Lieutenant Death after he fell out of a tree, all he can think about is selling the information of her whereabouts "for many smooth round coins of gold." Engle's word choice flows throughout the story and allows the reader to see the forest, feel the fear of the rebels, and taste the bitter-sweetness of winning a war without gaining the victory of freedom.
Many times Engle included the English translation of the cultural words she chose to use. Occasionally, readers had to infer from the text the meaning of the words. Cultural markers include the use of the words "cimarrones," "pesos," "Domingo" (Sunday), "Dios Da" (God Gives), "El Médico" (The Doctor), "La Madre" (The Mother), "guijes" (mermaids), "Teniente Muerte" (Lieutenant Death), "alto" (halt), "quién vive" (who lives), "cuidado" (beware), "majá" (snakes), and "Pacífico" (Peaceful One). Locations mentioned include "Mira-Cielo" (Look-at-the-sky), "Silencio" (Silence), "Soledad" (Loneliness), "La Bruja" (The Witch), "Manteca," and "Bayamo."
Enslaved tribes included the Congo, Arará, Carabalí, Bibí, and Gangá. In addition to Cuban and African slaves, there were Chinese, Indians, and Irish slaves and indentured servants as well. It is pointed out that many people thought the slaves were only dark-skinned, but there were also light-skinned slaves. Other than mentioning some were light and some were dark, specific skin tones were not highlighted. Rosa learned the languages of many people including "the words of African and native Cuban Indian tribes, and all the dialects of the provinces of Spain." Later, when helping the U.S. soldiers, she learns some English.
The Cuban musical instruments included conch-shell trumpets, bamboo flutes, rattles, drums, and whistles. As far as hair styles, some are mentioned as having long, black hair while others had light hair. The rebel's dress is not mentioned except to say they went barefoot and wore woven hats. Rosa wears a padded amulet to protect her heart from the soldier's bullets. "The Spanish soldiers dress in bright uniforms, like parakeets." They also wear a red tassel on their hats which they believe will protect them from Rosa's "evil eye."
The foods mentioned eaten by the poor included cornmeal, wild yams, river turtles, wild honey, wild flowers, and roots. The peasants and slaves can only dream of ajiaco stew, which was a savory combination of meats and vegetables. This was opposed to what the rich man ate: meat, fowl, fruit, coffee, chocolate, and cream.
Engle does not shy away from the horrors of what the people of Cuba endured. Many times the slaves ran away from their cruel taskmasters only to be caught again or killed by the slave catchers. Some slaves, unable to bear their life of bondage one more day, chose to commit suicide. When this happened, the slave owners would cut their bodies into four parts and place the body parts into four separate cages. These cages would then be hung for all the other slaves to see so it would discourage them from doing the same. It was thought "a chopped, caged spirit cannot fly away to a better place." Later, the Cuban peasants are forced to relocate into "reconcentration camps," and their farms are burned by the soldiers. Many of the peasants are not given enough food to survive in the camps and some of the imprisoned population "are turning into shadows." In Engle's notes she states, "estimates of the number of Cuban guajiros (peasants) who died in Weyler's "reconcentration camps" range from 170,000 to half a million, or approximately 10 to 30 percent of the island's total population. In some areas, up to 96 percent of the farms were destroyed."
Engle's main character is based on Rosario Castellanos Castellanos, known as Rosa la Bayamesa in Cuba. It was thought by some that she was a witch; however, she and her husband learned to use trees and plants to heal. She credited God for performing the miracles of healing. She knew that the healing virtues in the trees and plants were actually miracles "created by the fragrant breath of God." Rosa helped all people, including her enemies who were trying to kill her. She never asked for money for her medical services; all she wanted from God was a "peaceful mind." Freedom to live without the fear of her enemies hunting her down. They want her dead simply because she has traveled her life's path by "healing her enemies so they will turn into friends."
Readers can learn a great deal from Rosa la Bayamesa and the people of Cuba. Although one faces overwhelming odds, never give up. Fight for survival. Fight for freedom. Above all, love your enemy and do good to those who despitefully use you. In doing this, true peace is achieved.
Awards and Honors
Engle does not state why she chose to tell Cuba's story through free verse instead of prose. Perhaps it was to better see the beauty of life through the eyes of Rosa. As she gathers herbs in the forest, she says "every leaf is a heart-shaped moment of peace." Or maybe Engle's imagery helps the reader to feel the unquenchable hatred of war and greed through the eyes of Lieutenant Death. When Rosa treats Lieutenant Death after he fell out of a tree, all he can think about is selling the information of her whereabouts "for many smooth round coins of gold." Engle's word choice flows throughout the story and allows the reader to see the forest, feel the fear of the rebels, and taste the bitter-sweetness of winning a war without gaining the victory of freedom.
Many times Engle included the English translation of the cultural words she chose to use. Occasionally, readers had to infer from the text the meaning of the words. Cultural markers include the use of the words "cimarrones," "pesos," "Domingo" (Sunday), "Dios Da" (God Gives), "El Médico" (The Doctor), "La Madre" (The Mother), "guijes" (mermaids), "Teniente Muerte" (Lieutenant Death), "alto" (halt), "quién vive" (who lives), "cuidado" (beware), "majá" (snakes), and "Pacífico" (Peaceful One). Locations mentioned include "Mira-Cielo" (Look-at-the-sky), "Silencio" (Silence), "Soledad" (Loneliness), "La Bruja" (The Witch), "Manteca," and "Bayamo."
Enslaved tribes included the Congo, Arará, Carabalí, Bibí, and Gangá. In addition to Cuban and African slaves, there were Chinese, Indians, and Irish slaves and indentured servants as well. It is pointed out that many people thought the slaves were only dark-skinned, but there were also light-skinned slaves. Other than mentioning some were light and some were dark, specific skin tones were not highlighted. Rosa learned the languages of many people including "the words of African and native Cuban Indian tribes, and all the dialects of the provinces of Spain." Later, when helping the U.S. soldiers, she learns some English.
The Cuban musical instruments included conch-shell trumpets, bamboo flutes, rattles, drums, and whistles. As far as hair styles, some are mentioned as having long, black hair while others had light hair. The rebel's dress is not mentioned except to say they went barefoot and wore woven hats. Rosa wears a padded amulet to protect her heart from the soldier's bullets. "The Spanish soldiers dress in bright uniforms, like parakeets." They also wear a red tassel on their hats which they believe will protect them from Rosa's "evil eye."
The foods mentioned eaten by the poor included cornmeal, wild yams, river turtles, wild honey, wild flowers, and roots. The peasants and slaves can only dream of ajiaco stew, which was a savory combination of meats and vegetables. This was opposed to what the rich man ate: meat, fowl, fruit, coffee, chocolate, and cream.
Engle does not shy away from the horrors of what the people of Cuba endured. Many times the slaves ran away from their cruel taskmasters only to be caught again or killed by the slave catchers. Some slaves, unable to bear their life of bondage one more day, chose to commit suicide. When this happened, the slave owners would cut their bodies into four parts and place the body parts into four separate cages. These cages would then be hung for all the other slaves to see so it would discourage them from doing the same. It was thought "a chopped, caged spirit cannot fly away to a better place." Later, the Cuban peasants are forced to relocate into "reconcentration camps," and their farms are burned by the soldiers. Many of the peasants are not given enough food to survive in the camps and some of the imprisoned population "are turning into shadows." In Engle's notes she states, "estimates of the number of Cuban guajiros (peasants) who died in Weyler's "reconcentration camps" range from 170,000 to half a million, or approximately 10 to 30 percent of the island's total population. In some areas, up to 96 percent of the farms were destroyed."
Engle's main character is based on Rosario Castellanos Castellanos, known as Rosa la Bayamesa in Cuba. It was thought by some that she was a witch; however, she and her husband learned to use trees and plants to heal. She credited God for performing the miracles of healing. She knew that the healing virtues in the trees and plants were actually miracles "created by the fragrant breath of God." Rosa helped all people, including her enemies who were trying to kill her. She never asked for money for her medical services; all she wanted from God was a "peaceful mind." Freedom to live without the fear of her enemies hunting her down. They want her dead simply because she has traveled her life's path by "healing her enemies so they will turn into friends."
Readers can learn a great deal from Rosa la Bayamesa and the people of Cuba. Although one faces overwhelming odds, never give up. Fight for survival. Fight for freedom. Above all, love your enemy and do good to those who despitefully use you. In doing this, true peace is achieved.
Awards and Honors
John Newbery Medal*, 2009 Honor Book United States
Pura Belpré Award, 2009 Winner
Author United States
Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, 2009 Winner United
States
States
Jane Addams Children's Book Award, 2009 Winner Older Children United
States
Claudia Lewis Award, 2009 Winner United States
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2009 Honor Book United States
States
Claudia Lewis Award, 2009 Winner United States
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2009 Honor Book United States
Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Poetry United States
*This book received the first Newbery Honor Medal awarded to a Latino
“In spite of the hardships
described, the story is one of victory, the poetry lyrical, and the characters
unforgettable. It is no wonder why Engle has been awarded the Pura Belpré for a
second year in a row by the American Library Association.” ~ René Saldaña, Jr.,
Multicultural Review, Summer 2009
“Engle's haunting poetry explores the themes of oppression, war, and human rights through the lens of one woman's determination to aid refugees from all factions, regardless of race or politics.” ~ Jane López-Santillana, Horn Book Magazine, July/August 2008
“Engle's haunting poetry explores the themes of oppression, war, and human rights through the lens of one woman's determination to aid refugees from all factions, regardless of race or politics.” ~ Jane López-Santillana, Horn Book Magazine, July/August 2008
"Engle's spare free verse gives voice to these characters, and the sequence (divided into five
sections, three of them for the three
wars of the
period) vividly depicts the
reality of an existence where hiding and resisting is a norm for half a century.”
~ Deborah Stevenson, Bulletin of the Center
for Children’s Books, May 2008
Other Books Written by Margarita Engle
Other Books Written by Margarita Engle
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba
Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck
Visit her website for more information: www.margaritaengle.com/
Book Connections
Dance, Nana, Dance=Baila, Nana, Baila: Cuban Folktales in English and
Spanish by Joe Hayes
Cuba: After the Revolution by Bernard Wolf
Letters to My Mother by Teresa Caardenas; translated by David Unger
Connection Activities
- Take an experience from your own life and write a few lines of poetry to tell the story.
- In group of 3-4, discuss the following and prepare to give your conclusion to the class:[Both of these connection activities are based on ideas from the website http://media.us.macmillan.com/discussionguides/9780312608712DG.pdf. You can view these and many more ideas on the Vamos a Leer: Teaching Latin America Through Literacy website at http://teachinglatinamericathroughliterature.wordpress.com/the-surrender-tree/.]
Rosa heals Lieutenant Death after he falls from a tree. Why does she help him? Why, even after her help, does he still want to kill her? Put yourself in the place of Rosa or Lieutenant Death and describe what you would do.
What an awesome review!! I was in a meeting today with Senator Ted Cruz's dad, Rafael Cruz, where he mentioned the horrors he endured before coming to America. This is definitely a book I will pick up!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Rebecca, on reviewing "The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom." I'm glad you explained about their superstitions, that they are not always accurate as in Rosa's case.
ReplyDelete