Text Complexity Analysis of

Eight Days: A Story of Haiti

by Edwidge Danticat

Text Type: Literary

Text Description

This short picture book tells the fictional story of a young boy trapped under rubble for eight days after an earthquake in Haiti. While waiting to be rescued, Junior, plays “in his mind”, focusing each day on a memory of his life in Haiti before the earthquake. Although the book addresses some sensitive issues, like the death of Junior’s friend Oscar, the text is hopeful. Both words and illustrations emphasize human resilience, the beauty of Haiti and the power of imagination.

Placement

This text falls solidly in the 4-5 band level. The length of the book, word choice, illustrations and sequential plot are relatively simple to understand, but the theme, layers of meaning and the subtle connection of Junior’s imaginings to the realities of the aftermath of an earthquake offer opportunities to analyze and interpret the text on a variety of levels.

Quantitative Measure

Quantitative Measure of the Text: Measurement not available

Associated Band Level: N/A

Qualitative Measures

Meaning/Purpose: Moderately Complex

The basic story line is easy to follow, and the general message of hope is clear. However, on closer reading, the story offers deeper messages about resilience, the power of imagination and a vision of restoration that are nuanced and complex. With analysis, Junior’s imaginings can also be tied to real events that may occur after an earthquake- wind, rain, darkness, fire and shouting all play a part in the activities Junior imagines while under the rubble. This text presents multiple layers of meaning to be interpreted.

Text Structure: Slightly Complex

The text begins at the end-with Junior’s rescue- and it is important that the reader understand that the events of each day are happening in Junior’s imagination as he waits to be found. Otherwise, the plot is organized sequentially with clear temporal transitions at the top of each page (On the first day...).

Language Features: Moderately Complex

The text is largely written in the plain language of a child, but does contain names of people, places and other words and phrases likely to be unfamiliar to most American students (“Alarive!”, “recited our lessons”). The meaning of these unfamiliar words can usually be determined using context or illustrations. The text also contains words and phrases that have figurative or nuanced meanings (“He never woke up.” “...in the entire country, in the entire world”) that are important to understanding the deeper meaning of the text.

Knowledge Demands: Slightly Complex

This text relies primarily on knowledge of common childhood activities like playing soccer and riding bikes. Some context on the effects of an earthquake and on the country of Haiti would be helpful, but in most cases, this understanding can be built from context, illustrations and the “Note from the Author” at the end of the book.

Considerations For Reader and Task

This text is introduced after students have learned about, and done research on, various natural disasters. They have also read specifically about the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 that inspired the story. A Close Reading Guide will highlight the challenging literary features of the text. Some of the activities Junior imagines are old fashioned (playing marbles) or more common in rural areas (flying kites) and may require a brief explanation depending on the needs of your student population. Illustrations can be used as a strong support throughout the book.

Specific supports for English Language Learners, students with special needs, and students who need enrichment are included in the module.

Rationale

This text was chosen as an accessible vehicle for introducing students to the broader idea that natural disasters have more than just a physical effect on people and places. The text offers a message of hope and resilience, an important counter balance to the devastating effects of natural disasters students have heard and read about. Although the story at first seems simple, there are many deeper layers of meaning to uncover. The narrator of the book is a young person, and the theme, setting, character and events of the story all pivot on his unique point of view. These strong connections between the plot and the narrator’s point of view, as well as the book’s rich illustrations are used to teach CCSS RL.5.6: Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described. and CCSS RL.5.7: Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text. Students later apply this initial understanding to a varied and complex set of poems about how individuals have been affected by natural disasters. This book was also chosen because it is written in a variety of English that is familiar to most students, providing a point of contrast in subsequent lessons to the more formal and less formal varieties of English used in the poems that follow (CCSS L.5.3b).

Text Analyses: Grade 5