Tetiyette and the Devil: A Lesson to Be Shared

 

  Stories have been used through the ages as a means of communication of both tradition and self. They are woven in intricate patterns deemed by the author as the best fit for conveying something. Often, authors may blend of several different texts whether they be literary, spiritual, or historical to make a story easier to relate to or to further emphasize the point. The story of "Tetiyette and the Devil" is one that calls upon several elements to both enlighten and entertain. The author constructed a hybrid of a literary text and a spiritual text utilizing the subjective, oral tradition, culture, and a touch of adventure from the literary aspect and the religious and moral side of the spiritual aspect.

     The story is originally an oral, funeral tale told by a young girl. In the Caribbean, it is not uncommon for funerals to seem as though they are more of a celebration and appreciation of life with stories and a parade, or music depending on the country. "Tetiyette and the Devil" also has a religious aspect as Tetiyette is against the Devil himself (and all the Devil represents) with her moral fiber and sense of purpose being challenged by the him. The author paints Teityette as somewhat naïve, in that she is superficial, stubborn and blinded by her foolish desires. She repeats in response to these men described as beasts, "make him go away, make him go away". In her naivety, she is susceptible to toxicity and is distracted by temptations and greed. The emphasis on Tetiyette's stubborn refusal of anything but the best looking man for whom she practically begs suggests the author is hoping to reach the younger audience who may still be so bold as to believe that looks cannot be deceiving, and stubbornness cannot defeat them.  It also might suggest the author intends to enlighten her audience after disarming them with light humor of talking pigs and goats in lieu of men as to why they should question what they see and not be so stubborn as to refuse truths in front of them. Tetiyette pokes her shiny new husband and sees he oozes slime, yet she does not heed her mother's warning, trying to hide his truth and favoring a façade until she realizes she has lost herself to that life. The author further drives home the point that one should not be crippled by stubbornness in the reactions of the parents who are both insistent that they could not care less because she did not listen. Poor Teityette is nearly swallowed whole by her mistake. There is a positive end to the story as though to suggest one should never give up hope and that no one is truly alone when after reaching out to several family members to no avail, Tetiyette's brother comes to her rescue.

    In addition to the type of texts a story can be, there can be several ways of presentation such as poem, prose, and so on. Fairytales are one such method of passing on a tradition or belief we all experience at one time or another."Tetiyette and the Devil" opens like a fairy tale cluing the reader in to the upcoming message but in a palatable presentation. It then transitions into a brief narrative using humor and imagery to lay the background of our main character's future plight. When the time for the reader to take note arrives, the story utilizes the whimsical aspects of song to call attention to the sincerity of Tetiyette's pleas to help free her as well as repetition of "bel-air drum" at the end of each line for a rhythmic emphasis as if it were the sound of the drum punctuating the air. The singsong style is characteristic of slave culture, in which unfortunately the Caribbean is rich. The songs and rhythms were just one thing that grounded the people forced into slavery. It provided some form of mesmeric, audible "comfort" to make bearing their load and  reaching out to each other subtly with little notice by their slave drivers and owners a tad easier. However, here, the devil is on to her tricks and manipulates her choice of delivery to suit his needs and sully her image instead. By having the Devil follow suit in singsong and repetitive fashion, the author further stresses how toxic the relationship is and demonstrating the lengths a toxic man will do to keep "his woman" in check. The repetition and hyperbolic language further help to sell the point in other parts of the narrative as well such as when Tetiyette is rejecting the beasts, accepting the Devil, and in the way the brother rushes to save his sister "taking the staircase twenty steps at a time". The author employs so many methods of delivery so delicately that it is nearly awe inspiring.

 Overall the author uses several literary and grammatical constructs to intricately and yet subtly sell her audience on a point while entertaining them lightheartedly with her multiplicitous text. She suavely disarms the audience using humor and song, and conversely uses the humor and song to accentuate the important parts of the message. She appeals to the social nature of people as well as the spiritual nature of people. "Tetiyette and the Devil" is a jolly and yet gruesome tale that delights the audience at first lulling them into a false sense of security only to soon show glimpses of some of the shades of the true darkness of man.