Abstract

This article focuses on two texts written by two important contemporary authors from the Haitian diaspora: The Art of Death. Writing the Final Story (2017) by Edwidge Danticat and L'Énigme du retour (2009) by Dany Laferrière. Both books reflect on mourning the death of a parent, the authors' own literary production, and the question of how to represent Haiti from abroad. The article analyzes how each book establishes connections between the representations of death and mourning and the authors' ethical and aesthetic projects, centered around Haitian issues and written from diasporic positions.