My perspective on Haitian literature is rooted in a deep commitment to decolonial critique, theological reflection, and the recovery of Haiti’s intellectual and cultural legacy. As a literary scholar and theologian, I interpret Haitian literature not only as an artistic form but as a political, ethical, and spiritual project. Haitian literature should be regarded as a site of resistance, memory, and identity reconstruction.

Below, I articulate the key elements of my philosophy on Haitian literature:

1. Haitian Literature as Decolonial Discourse

First and foremost, I view Haitian literature as a decolonial force that challenges Western epistemologies and affirms the dignity of the Haitian people. In my body of work, I argue that Haitian writers use literature to counter colonial narratives, critique imperial violence, and reclaim national memory. Haitian literature is/has become a weapon in the hands of the oppressed and a tool for liberation and a means of imagining a more just world.

2. A Literature of Memory, Mourning, and Exile

I emphasize that Haitian literature is often preoccupied with exile, memory, mourning, and trauma—especially in relation to colonial slavery, the Haitian Revolution, dictatorship, natural disasters (e.g., the 2010 earthquake), migration, and exile, as can be observed in the works of Danticat, Chancy, Trouillot, Mars, etc. Haitian writers function as moral witnesses, and storytelling becomes a way to preserve collective memory and spiritual resilience.

3. Literature as Ethical and Prophetic Witness

I see Haitian writers as public intellectuals and ethical voices. Their role is not just to entertain, but to challenge systems of oppression and speak truth to power. Haitian writers engage with the political, economic, or spiritual spheres, and often highlight the struggles of their people. Haitian literature is prophetic and rooted in truth-telling, justice, and solidarity with the Haitian masses and marginalized communities outside of Haiti.

4. Intersections of Theology, Religion, and Literature

As both a theologian and literary critic, I frequently explore how Haitian literature intersects with theology, Vodou, Christianity, and spiritual thought. For example, I examine how writers like Roumain, Vieux-Chauvet, Danticat, Chancy, and Depestre incorporate religious symbolism and spiritual resistance into their work. Overall, I advance the idea that literature is not just secular; it is sacred space where God, the ancestors, and the people all converge.

5. Creolization and Cultural Syncretism

I celebrate the linguistic and cultural hybridity of Haitian literature, especially the use of Haitian Creole, African oral traditions, French literary forms, and diasporic influences. He believes Haitian literature embodies “créolité” and represents a mestizo consciousness that disrupts purity and embraces complexity.

6. A Literature for the People

As a literary critic, I call for a democratized literature. By this concept, I propose that writing should be accessible, people-centered, and responsive to the real conditions of Haitian life and the human condition. I believe overly academic literary forms that ignore the suffering or spirituality of the people should be replaced by a literature for the people and the purpose of their emancipation. In other words, literature of any form or expression should be accountable to the people who live the stories, not just to those who analyze them.

A Summary of Major Themes in my View of Haitian Literature

Function of Literature: a tool of liberation, truth-telling, and decolonization

Themes: Memory, trauma, resistance, God, nationhood

Language: Multilingual, creolized, hybrid

Audience: Both national and diasporic, but especially the people

Ethical Purpose: Advocate for justice, dignity, and human flourishing

Relation to History: Recovers revolutionary and postcolonial memory

Relation to Religion: Intertwined with Vodou, Christianity, and ancestral belief