Novel Masters of the Dew

Master Dew

Setting and Socialism in Masters of the Dew

Jacques Roumain's novel Masters of the Dew is at once a deeply personal tale full of poignant and powerful moments ass well as a political parable with a clear and compelling call to action. The degree to which the author, an aggressive activist for Communism in Haiti during the first half of the twentieth century, manages to blend the personal and the political in this work is a testament not only to his skill as a writer but to the depth of his convictions and values. Many different elements of the work stand to exemplify the Communist and socialist principles at the heart of Roumain's work and life, from the protagonist Manuel who like Roumain returns from abroad full of new ideas and new ideologies, to the plot of the novel and the manner in which the Haitian peasants are able to work together -- and struggle in such attempts -- in order to try to carve out a better life for themselves. One of the most pervasive elements of the story is the setting, however, and there are many ways in which Roumain uses this setting to enhance the Communist principles and values that are central to the novel. Throughout Masters of the Dew, the setting plays a practical, symbolic, and supportive role in presenting the text's central message.

Salient Features of Setting

The novel starts out with direct and explicit reference to the practical significance of the setting in shaping the lives of the characters in the story, and of propelling the eventual action that illustrates Roumain's Communist values and ideals. As the story opens, an old woman named Delira Delivrance reflects that everyone is going to die while "plunging her hands into the dust…the same dust that the dry wind scattered over the high hedge of cactus eaten by verdigris, over the blighted thorn acacias and the devastated fields of millet" (p. 23). Before anything is truly known about the characters or the plot, the setting makes it clear that humanity is in conflict with nature, or perhaps that nature is in conflict with itself, unwilling or unable to allow itself (in the form of life, human and vegetable) to flourish. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that a new harmony with the natural forces must be found, and indeed the purely practical element of the story involves Manuel's attempts to provide relief from the dry conditions on the island. The perspective of opposition to or within nature is not correct, but rather the humans on Haiti need to learn to work with their setting in a balance based on principles of need and mutual benefit, and when things seem in conflict it is because the proper and natural course of action is not being followed. Later in the story, when some events have begun to create greater levels of cooperation amongst characters and with the natural environment, Annaise is not perturbed when "night began to develop her," because "the chestnut horse knew the road" (p. 95). Familiarity with the setting and an acceptance that natural phenomenon -- the night, the horse -- will fulfill their purposes guides the character at this point, and thus the setting provides a directly practical example of Communist values of shared work and natural progress.

Failing to see the symbolism in these practical encounters with the setting would of course be a gross misreading of Roumain's text, and indeed there is a strong symbolic aspect of the setting as it relates to the themes of the novel and the clear arguments in favor of Communism and Communist ideals that appear throughout the book. The fact that a woman with the last name of Delivrance is digging in the dust talking about death indicates not true despair, but a symbolic hope that deliverance will come through the ground. Likewise, Annaise's surrender to her environment is symbolic of certain aspects of her character motivations and journey as she begins to accept Manuel and his ideas. An even clearer example of this symbolism is found in the scene of Manuel's welcoming feast and ritual, where the setting serves as a symbolic commentary on the motives and actions of the characters. First, Manuel is given news of the approaching party while he is busy fixing an arbor, "driving nails into the tender flesh of the longwood" in a manner that recalls crucifixion -- a religious sacrifice that is supposed to placate men in this world (p. 64). When the party actually occurs and there is indeed a heavily religious and mythological elements to the proceedings where the people do indeed forget about their worldly troubles -- the very real problems of poverty, drought, and hunger that many face -- once a god supposedly tells them not to worry, the liquor is poured, and the dancing begins. This scene closes with a comment on Manuel's secret sadness and the observation that, "when dawn came over the sleepless plain, the drums were still beating" (p 72). This illusionary distraction from real and practical solutions was not even illuminated by the light of day, meaning the Haitians are still failing to see the natural progress and opportunity available because they are blinded by their old faiths, traditions, and most importantly their fears.