Upon reading a science fiction book that creates a new sentient species, it is always interesting to consider how that species differs from humans, as the departure from a human model is a commentary on how the author views humankind. Specifically, it usually points out the perceived flaws in human interactions, politics, overall behavior, and response to environment. In creating the douen as a sentient race, which were already a well-established myth in Caribbean culture (http://hometown.aol.com/lafillette/Spooks/laf10.htm), Hopkinson continued her pattern of using folk lore and mythical characters as main players in her book, but redefined, showing the myths as extrapolated from a more science fiction type truth.

As was touched on somewhat briefly in class on Monday, the treatment of the Douen by the exiled Toussaint humans echoed the African slave experience and illuminated the way in which humans manage to come up with irrational validation to treat others as sub-human. Little Tan-Tan was so surprised at the use of “master” towards the humans, when Chichibud says it, because she sees Chichibud as just another kind of person. She had not yet learned the human tendency to equate difference with inferiority.

One thing about the douen that was interesting was the drastic difference between male and female within the species. In superficially examining this difference, Hopkinson’s purpose is unclear (at least to me). As a species the distinctions are very useful because the humans do not expect such a deviation based on gender within a species, since it is difficult to think of a single species on Earth that varies that much within itself based on sex. Also, from a practical perspective, the ability to use them as pack animal, transportation, protection, sonic weapon, radar, and manufacturer of trade goods, is indispensable. It can be supposed that from a biological perspective the split of male as reptilian and female as bird is not completely removed from the realm of possibility, considering the study of dinosaurs being closely related to reptiles and birds. There is a magical component in the douen culture, even though Chichibud’s initial claims of magic turn out to have been stories for the young Tan-Tan. There was the medicine, which is so much more affective than the medicine the Toussaint people used. The daddy tree was also somewhat magical, providing for virtually all of the needs of the douen people in a perfectly symbiotic relationship. Specifically the absence of technology in the douen culture makes them seem more magical, as other alien species are traditionally reliant on technological advancement for their super human abilities.

The use of existing myths to build a species must have made Hopkinson’s job somewhat easier, but they do depart drastically from the original lore. However, the use of folk lore enriched her creations and her story by creating a many layered mythology within the book’s fiction that seems to become deeper the more one knows about Caribbean culture.