Breath, Eyes, Memory Book 1, Chapter 7 Summary

  • Sophie's mother takes her around the city, introducing her to her friends in the Haitian-American community.
  • Martine tells Sophie how important it is for her to learn English quickly, so she'll fit in better. She warns her about prejudices against Haitians there—that they smell, they all have AIDS, etc.
  • As they move through the shops in the city, Sophie sees things that remind her of home: a statue of the goddess Erzulie, Tante Atie's lemon perfume.
  • Martine takes Sophie to visit with Marc Chevalier, a Haitian-American attorney. She doesn't say as much, but it's clear that Marc's her boyfriend.
  • That evening, Marc takes Martine and Sophie for dinner at a Haitian restaurant. Sophie hears the men debating about what needs to be done in Haiti.
  • When Martine introduces Sophie to the waiter, it becomes clear to Sophie that the waiter sees no resemblance between the two of them.
  • Sophie eats a lot at dinner, to avoid Marc and Sophie. It appears to worry the adults. When Marc asks her what she wants to be, Sophie says a secretary. He's not impressed.
  • Marc asks if she has a boyfriend and Martine puts a stop to that kind of talk: no boyfriends until she's eighteen.