Tétiyette and the Devil is a short story centered around a young girl in search for a husband to marry. The author, who remains anonymous, presents multiple underlying messages, including acknowledging those of authority and acknowledging that things may not be what they seem.
One of the main points in this short story would be Tétiyette's interactions with the "devil", or her corrupt husband-to-be. Her mother addresses the man's evil nature and tells Tétiyette, "At night after you go to bed, you will stick your husband with [a pin]. If blood flows, he's a human being, but if slime oozes, he's a devil." She later discovers that the man is indeed a devil, and keeps the truth secret from the rest of her family. This proves the first moral message of following authoritative direction to be true.
Later in the story, Tétiyette finds herself in a crisis, as she's being eaten whole by the devilish husband; she has disobeyed her parents and now faces the bitter consequences of staying with the devil. She cries out: "Oh, Mama! Oh, Mama! ... The man to whom you married me...is a terrible devil! ... He's eating me up!" Not everything is what it seems to be, the author conveys.
Personally, this short story paints a very vivid picture in my head about the morals presented. It's an excellent medium to deliver info on the ways of narrative. Using what I've analyzed here can add some insight to my understanding about Caribbean culture.
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