Sugar Cane Alley Response Grace M (sorry it's late!)

One of the most interesting themes I observed in Sugar Cane Alley was the commentary on untraditional families. Jose is raised by his grandmother, Ma-Tine, who is hardworking and world-weary. She holds Jose to a high standard and punishes him for his many pranks, but cares deeply for him, as we see when she saves him from a harsh beating after he sets a shanty on fire. Since Ma-Tine works constantly in order to keep food on the table for her and Jose, she is not there to supervise him 24/7. However, she believes in her grandson and manages to send him to public school and then an upscale high school. The film combats the notion of success depending on a traditional family because although Jose has the talent and smarts to leave Martinique, his grandmother's trust and determination to get him there.

We see this theme furthered in the harsh rebukes of Leopold's father, who discourages his son's fraternization with Jose. History teaches that the classic family form is a harmonious situation, but because the film focuses on Jose, we see that a father with too much control in his son's life ends up being harmful. The director also juxtaposes the deaths of Leopold's father and Ma-Tine. Leopold's father dies while trying to remove Leopold from Jose's company, casting him as foolhardy and pigheaded. On the other hand, Ma-Tine dies from too many years of work, but we see that her death, while sad, is content. She has succeeded in raising a smart, self-sufficient young man, who can now push himself to be better.

An additional facet in the theme of traditional family is Jose's relationship with Medouze, an old man who tells him stories and myths. Medouze cares for Jose and aims to educate him with his stories. At the same time, Jose appreciates the wisdom and entertainment Medouze provides, which keeps him out of even more trouble. Similar to Ma-Tine, Medouze doesn't over-interfere in Jose's life, and allows him to learn from his mistakes; despite this, he has a clear impact on Jose's creativity and intelligence.

Alex Tangalos' Sugar Cane Alley Response

One motif I noticed consistently was the role of superstition and legend in the lives of the black residents. For example, in the beginning, the children give Jose a charm and recite a chant in order to protect him from being beaten by his grandmother. Also, the old man Medouze recounts tales of Africa and of the slaves' journey, so that Jose does not forget his roots. When Medouze dies, even those that didn't particularly like him gather round to chant and sing for him, in order for his soul to travel back "to Africa," as Jose says. For Jose, the legends Medouze tells him have a much more significant impact than the superstition that is prevalent in Black Shack Alley, which may have something to do with his being relatively more educated than the rest in his neighborhood. It's also interesting to note that despite his going to school with white teachers, the superstitions don't disappear--they are just called legitimate religion, Christianity, even though the recitations of the children in church about God and Heaven and Hell have no more spiritual impact for them than the chants they recited at Medouze's funeral. 

These ideas about superstition and legend also play a role in Miguel Street. The narrator tells the stories of his neighbors as if they are all important figures to be remembered, rather than simple anecdotes about his childhood. Black Wordsworth, the Pyrotechnicist, The Mechanical Genius--all are given titles to be remembered by, as if they truly are larger-than-life legendary figures rather than simple poor residents of Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, all of these characters hold something dear to them--whether it be the ritual of systematically dismantling cars in the case of the Mechanical Genius or the all-important completion of the poem for B. Wordsworth. They hold these actions to high esteem, giving their superstitious beliefs almost religious importance, just as the residents of Sugar Cane Alley do their charms and chants and legends.

Razzan Nakhlawi Sugar Cane Alley Response

The prevalent theme in Sugar Cane Alley seems to be the stagnant social mobility on the newly-independent island of Martinique, and the importance of education to escape the cycle of poverty. The plot is centered on the development of José, from favela-terrorizing street urchin, to privately-educated scholar, partially due his innate intelligence and talent. In several scenes we witness José tutoring an older member of the community, Carmen, and his position as his tutor vouches for his intellectual maturity. Yet, the catalyst for tangible growth is from his mother, who refuses to let José work on the cane fields, as she views them as a poverty trap and desires for José to achieve a level of success unseen by Martinique’s working-class. Thus, Ma Tine works backbreaking labor in the cane fields despite her illness to pay for his education.

Jose’s school teacher mentions "Education is the second key to freedom." This idea is reinforced in the film at several points. José is schooled privately and excels in classes, yet the film captures the coexistence of frustration and hope especially well when José is accused of plagiarism. This highlights the unfairness of the situation, and represents the helplessness experienced by the oppressed in every aspect of life. In reality, José’s beautifully-written piece was inspired by Medouze-a wise, elderly figure in the community. Old Medouze provides an informal yet equally important education for young José. He informs José of the arrival of Martinique’s people from Africa through the French involvement with the slave trade, and tells him stories of the more peaceful times in their native land. This enriches José’s education in a cultural sense, giving him cognizance of the imperialistic setting in which they live.

Education

In Sugar Cane Alley, we witness a character arc in the style of the bildungsroman: José starts as a child of the plantation, playing with friends, causing trouble, doing the things young children do. When his friends break his grandmother's vase, the moment doesn't seem particularly out of the ordinary in a story of this type (similar plots might be seen in any family sitcom from Leave it to Beaver to Modern Family). However, what sets this incident apart is the way in which José is held accountable for his deed: his grandmother hits him with a switch. Why is she so upset about the broken vase? Maybe it meant a great deal to her. But more likely, in this interaction we are shown the high standard to which Maman Tine holds her grandson. In another scene, she refuses to let him join in the sugar cane fields when the other children are helping, forcing him to be idle and, therefore, distinct from the other children. All this is to create a new identity for José, one unmarked by his class so that he may move up in society. This move is accomplished in the only way Maman Tine knows: education.

The film explores issues of race and class in impoverished Martinique, but the film shows the only possible escape from this life is through schooling. José learns to read and write (and proudly passes these skills on to his friend), and eventually is able to rise to the top of his class at a private school. Even his tuition is covered by the financial aid he earns from his high marks. By providing her grandson with an education, Mama Tine gives him the opportunity to escape his birthplace and forge his own future. He is not free from the racial discrimination present in society, but he is given a chance to attain knowledge, which has tremendous value to him. Sugar Cane Alley presents the story of a boy's education, first in the informal sense via his grandmother and Monsieur Médouze, and ultimately through the same teachers as the sugar cane plantation owner's son.

Dan Giles Response to Sugar Cane Alley

I find film and literature powerful for their ability to expand the vision of the mind's eye far beyond our own spheres. From now on, whenever someone mentions Martinique, my brain will conjure up thumbnails from "Sugar Cane Alley." I was particularly interested in how Medouze fulfilled the archetype of the wise old mentor. Even in a place as remote as Martinique, narratives still reflect the same storytelling elements evident everywhere from Hercules to Star Wars. That particular archetype reminds me of something Plato touched upon in "The Republic," about how elders provide valuable insight not only because of their life experience, but because they are (for the most part) free from the intoxicating distractions of youth such as lust. So I viewed Medouze as a projection of the fold weaved into our human nature that craves a wise, almost divine adviser to impart us with wisdom beyond our reach. His advice that one cannot change nature already stood out as a harsh perspective, but hits even stronger when we view this perspective as a truth awaiting all humans once set free from the bindings of youth.

Granted, one thing we must remain conscious of is the distortion of reality that comes about given that we are viewing the artist's representation. However, the director is a native Martinique, so as far as distortions go, I feel confident putting more trust in her first-hand artistic representation of the truth of her island. The reading I take from Medouze's inclusion in the film is that while the incredibly young and incredibly bright Jose embodies hope for the future generations of Martinique, timeless wisdom speaks that as per the tenants of nature the legacy of subjugation will continue to wear on the island like a permanent ink stain, at least according to the native director's testimony.

Sugar Cane Alley Response

Although I missed the first part of Sugar Cane Alley, I really felt moved by the story. A young native of 1930s Martinique, Jose strives to break out of the sugar cane field cycle. Starting with colonial slavery, Africans were shipped to the French Carribean to work in the sugar cane fields from sun-up to sun-down. Even several decades after slavery's abolishment, the black people of Martinique earned so little for their work that it could be compared to slavery. Ma Tine knew that Jose had potential beyond this manual labor and promised herself she would help him find a better life. The only way to this better life was through education.

It was up to Jose, however, to accomplish his dream of success. He was in the top of his class at school, and he was able to apply for admission and scholarship into a Fort-de-France high school. He earned a partial scholarship, and then through Ma Tine's hard work and his academic excellence, he was granted a full scholarship and would be able to attend school for free.

Jose was a dreamer, and Ma Tine encouraged his hard work in school. But Jose went through many hardships, and so the movie is not only one of inspiration but also one of suffering. Jose was only one out of many children in the slum-like village of Sugar Cane Alley to work his way to high school. The rest of his friends became bound to the fields as they grew older. Jose lost his parents, his mentor, Medouze, and his loving and determined grandmother Ma Tine. He really had no one to share his success with at the end. It has a melancholic overtone, and it really is bittersweet.

Sevitha Konda's Sugar Cane Alley Response

Sugar Cane Alley is a coming-of-age story about a young boy named José in Martinique. However, what makes this coming-of-age story unique is its focus on French imperialism in Africa as well as the resulting effects of that imperialism on a society.

One of the main effects of imperialism in the film is the racism against the blacks. The racism makes it extremely difficult for any African to rise in the ranks of society, since imperialists have made that society into one which favors only them. This is very obviously revealed through the different living standards. In the movie, José lives in a very impoverished village. People are working tirelessly in the sugar can fields just to make enough to survive. Later, when he goes to school in a different town, he is surrounded by nice homes and buildings. The people do not struggle for the necessities. They do not live difficult lives. The contrast between the two types of lifestyles is very stark.

The hope for a way out of this kind of society comes in the form of education. In the film, José’s grandmother gives all she has to help José get an education. She encourages him to study and pushes him away from the sugar can field so he will not be trapped in the cycle that many in José’s village are. And for José, this is entirely plausible. He is brighter than many children and stands out. However, even this is not as simple because of the prevalent racism that he still battles with. In one scene, when José writes an excellent essay, he is accused of cheating because his professor does not believe that he is capable of writing something that good. This is a perfect example of how oftentimes, it is sometimes impossible to get the respect that is deserved when society is accustomed to thinking one race is inferior. However, the scene ends with José being apologized to, which shows optimism for the situation.

The aim to break the cycle with education mirrors the plot line in Miguel Street, where the young boy, who’s perspective the stories are told from, leaves Miguel Street to study abroad. His mother sends him away because she has noticed that he has started to take on some of the bad habits that other people stuck on Miguel Street have. She and M'man-Tine, José’s grandmother, have the same idea. In a repressed society, knowledge is power. And if you have enough knowledge you can combat the racist tones in an imperialistic society.

Claudia Frankel: Sugar Cane Alley Response

Sugar Cane Alley, directed by Euzhan Palcy, illustrates life in the Caribbean island of Martinique. The film follows the coming of age of Jose as he pursues an education and navigates a difficult world. This film is also a perfect example of the effects of imperialism and empires. Jose and his community live a repressed life. Most of the adults result to drinking to cope with the misery of having to work in the fields for little pay. Something I found interesting was the distinction between the children, namely Jose, and the adults. Palcy well contrasted the youthful enthusiasm with the depressed and surrendered adults. Following Jose’s life more closely, allows the reader to gain a better understanding as to the oppression the community lives under. One of the most revealing scenes in the film is when Jose is reading his essay about the lives of poor blacks that work in the sugar cane fields. I was amazed that such a young boy could be so perceptive as to the issues plaguing his community. Jose’s character brings attention to the oppression and subordination the workers live with. His essay brilliantly outlines the cycle in which the poorly paid and denigrated workers are unhappy, but can’t seek autonomy and thus are driven to alcohol and drugs to cope with their misery.

What I find even more interesting is that Jose, the person seemingly the most aware of the issues in his community, is the one able to break from it. This demonstrates that by recognizing the oppression and separating himself from it, he is able to find a better life and more freedoms. Recognizing the cycle of subjugation by an oppressive society is extremely powerful and important. Palcy utilizes Jose’s character to do so. What’s more, by using a child, Palcy is further humanizing the experience. Jose is perceived as a young and innocent child that the audience can sympathize with. By using him to bring awareness to the issues, Palcy is invoking further support from the audience. I truly enjoyed this film. Jose and his friends brought light to a visibly difficult story of poverty and subjugation. It was enjoyable, while conveying important issues about imperialism and oppression.

Response

            Although I wasn't present to watch the beginning of Sugar Cane Alley, I witnessed a moving personal journey found in the young protagonist. The kid went from one who had no care in the world to one interested in education and would even cry when being accused of plagiarism. His relationship with the old man also intrigued me because many believed the man to be a low life, but Jose sees him almost as a hero. Their final scene together where the old man gives Jose advice really touched me because of his intellectual sayings that had an obvious impression on Jose. I also thought it was interesting when looking at this film against the film The Battle Of Algiers. Both showed the effects of imperialism but in two different ways. One showed the rebellion against the imperialism and all the violence that goes along with it, while the other showed the people in the "slums" mostly accepting their place in society and trying to thrive in it.
           Sugar Cane Alley also mirrored closely the book Miguel Street that we have read, showing the growing of a young boy through his relationships to the people around him. They both show how our surroundings do make us into the man we are when we get older. One powerful scene I found in the film is when Jose dances in the river when his teacher admits he didn't plagiarize. This scene was so powerful because it shows how Jose actually took pride in his schoolwork now and wanted to be recognized as a smart individual instead of a lowly cane field worker. The film utilized long shots on expressions to show the emotions of situations as well as beautiful shots of the surrounding areas to give the audience a sense of wonder and appreciation for the culture it came from. The themes of trying to break from the normalities in life and reaching for excellence spoke to me and gave me a revitalized outlook on education and its importance. I liked the film as a whole and wish i could have experienced it in its entirety!

Sugar Cane Alley

Sugar Cane Alley is heartbreaking but inspiring at the same time. The story is about a young boy who has very little, but ends up making the most of his life by getting a good education and having the chance to get out of the sugar cane slavery. He lives in a village where all the adults are slaves who work on the sugar cane plantations. They are clearly not treated well, and the segregation is very prominent and hard to avoid. They practically live on the edge of survival, which is why it is so insipiring that Jose makes a life for himself. Out of all the children, Jose is the luckiest one because he is able to work hard and end up going to a good private school in the Fort-De-France. Jose’s success wouldn’t have been possinle without his two parental figures in his life.

His Grandma, M’Man Tin, is his main supporter. Without her, he probably would have followed in the path of slavery and never made it out of the sugar cane colony. She inspires him every day to learn something new and to never give up. Even though she was a very poor woman, she did everything she could to completely support Jose even though she knew it would be a strain financially. Jose was also supported and influenced by Carmen, a determined young man who dreams of being an actor. He pushes Jose to learn to read and educate himself, and Jose does what he says. Sugar Cane Alley shows how influential an empire can have on a certain community, but also proves that with the right people pushing you to succeed and inspiring you every day, one can truly get out of the system and start a new life for themselves, away from what the empire has created.

Daniel Shapiro Sugar Cane Ally Response

Sugar Cane Ally is not just a coming of age story about a young boy named Jose, but it can also be seen as a representation of the widespread effects of imperialism.  A scene where this is apparent is after all of the residents of “Sugar Cane Alley” finished their day working the fields, the pay they received was just a few cents.  One man didn’t even get paid because he took too many bathroom breaks during the day.  With this pay the residents could barely afford food and water, let alone any other living supplies.  The residents are trapped in this system, with essentially no way out.  This is shown through the character Medouze, an old, failing man who has lived working the fields his whole life.  To emphasize the idea that these people live and die in the fields, Medouze actually left his house to die in the Sugar Cane Fields.  There is one way out, though, which Medouze teaches Jose, and that is through education.

Education is the one tool that Jose can utilize to make it out of Sugar Cane Alley.  At first, Jose does not understand the importance of education.  After the group of kids burned down a man’s home, they were all ordered to start working the fields.  Jose wanted to work in order to do what the other kids were doing, but his mom would not let him.  Eventually Jose finds himself in an actual school with a scholarship and the hope of getting himself and his grandma out of Sugar Cane Alley.  To me the most noteworthy scene here is when Jose is accused by his teacher of plagiarizing his homework.  Although the teacher does acknowledge his work, this scene is so crucial because it shows that Jose will always be judged by the color of his skin before any other aspects of his character.  This theme can be related to imperialism because it shows that the effects of imperialism are so deeply rooted within many of these cultures that even if one has the intelligence or drive to make it out of their social caste, due to racism (amongst other factors) it will still be very difficult to succeed.

Claire Shalloe Blog Post

Both “Sugar Cane Alley” and Miguel Street are examples of stories in which a main character is placed in an environment which makes it difficult to break out of their socioeconomic status. In “Sugar Came Alley,” Jose is orphaned at a young age and cared for by his grandmother, M’Man Tine. It is clear the M’Man Tine wants a promising future for her grandson, however there are few opportunities in Martinique, where most people of their race work in the sugar cane fields. Jose’s innate intelligence is shown during his time in the classroom, specifically when his teacher asks him to recite something. His ability to recite what she asks indicates his mental capacity, which later helps Jose to gain his teacher’s support in his possibility of having a brighter future. 

In the same way Jose’s teacher helps to actualize his goal of receiving a higher education, many of the stories in Miguel Street have a similar message of moving out of one’s societal ranking. For example, in “Until the Soldier’s Come Home,” Edward tries to leave his own culture behind and assimilate into the American one. Edward’s initial attempt to become more American fails; while he tries to have a typical American family, his wife is barren, unhappy, and eventually runs away with an American soldier. This indicates that, despite Edward’s efforts, he could not become something he was not, an American. However, in the same way that Jose eventually overcomes the poverty of his home village, the short story ends with Edward marrying an American woman and starting a family. 

This short story in Miguel Street and “Sugar Cane Alley” both focus on people who seem to be stuck in a certain environment. Reading Miguel Street prior to watching the movie gave me a more optimistic view of what could come of Jose’s life. After seeing how characters like Edward could achieve what they would want in Miguel Street, I had a belief that Jose could escape his probable future as a sugar cane field worker. However, many stories end in a similar way to how they started in the collection of short stories; for example “The Coward” and “B. Wordsworth” do not have particularly happy endings. These make me realize that stories like Jose’s are rare; for every one child that receives a great opportunity, so many are left behind. 

Kevin Xue's Response to Sugar Cane Alley

Sugar Cane Alley's alley's main theme, I believe, is to depict José's transition from the poor to wealth, the powerless to the powerful and most importantly, overcoming of the social barriers between the white and black population. One scene comes to mind when trying to show the success he had in the aforementioned areas, and that is the first time he travels to the Fort-De-France to continue his education. The scene is full of symbols of him rising through the levels of society and on the way of becoming an affluent, successful member of the community.

The beginning of the scene comes with a clear depiction of his new status. In it, José's is dressed in a white, spotless suit completed with an equally pristine top hat. Previously, only white men were seen in such luxurious clothing, an example being the overseer on his horse watching over the laborers in the fields. This alteration of his appearance is definitely a sign of his development as he progresses to the upper class. Another symbol of his power comes when he arrives at the Fort-De-France. There is a quick scene of José staring down at a little boy polishing shoes for other people. When thinking back, José used to be exactly like the little boy when he polished shoes in exchange for lunch. Now, however, he is standing over his little boy showing that he has risen above his former self. The sounds in the scene is also significant. Previously, the movie had little music soundtrack, and there would almost always be yelling and grunting in the background when José was in the field with the others. This gloomy atmosphere is disrupted in this scene by an upbeat soundtrack playing the background; it echoes his new found happiness and excitement to exploring new places and going about the path to reach his full potential.

Arielle's Opachan's Response to Sugar Cane Alley

This movie shows a much different form of oppression than that in "The Battle of Algiers". In "The Battle of Algiers", there is more of a focus on the revolution that results from the French oppression of the Arabs. In "Sugar Cane Alley", there is still quite obvious oppression and class differences, but we don't see very strong anger and resistance as in "The Battle of Algiers". Of course, the indentured servants still express their frustration with their oppressive lifestyle. For instance, Mama Tine expresses that a stillborn child is lucky because they are "saved from the cane fields", and Medouze is said to die in the cane fields because the cane fields took his life anyways. It is interesting to see how these feelings of frustration with oppression results in revolution in Algeria, but there is no real resulting resistance in "Sugar Cane Alley".
Something else that really interested me was the emphasis on education in "Sugar Cane Alley". Although there are very clear racial divisions, there is definitely the opportunity to progress in socioeconomic class through education. Mama Tine insists that Jose study and work hard in school, because she refuses to allow him to be an indentured servant that slaves away in the sugar cane fields. Even when the children are punished for setting the garden ablaze, Mama Tine does not want Jose to participate in any work in the cane fields because she never wants him to experience the hard labor that she experiences everyday. When Jose's superior academic achievements are recognized, he is immediately sent to Port-de-France and is given opportunities that he otherwise never would have been granted.

Tess Meyers Sugar Cane Alley

    Sugar Cane Alley is a film that deals with the daily struggles and futures of sugar cane workers. It focuses on Jose, a young and exceptionally bright boy who wants to make a future for himself. Because of Jose’s guidance from both this grandmother and mentor Mendouze, he understands that his current situation doesn’t have to be permanent and tries to make a future for himself by getting an scholarship to an elite school. Although everything doesn’t go right for Jose, for his mentor Mendouze dies in the very fields that he’s trying to escape, and Jose gets wrongly accused of plagiarism, he eventually attains his goal of attuning the school with the help of the adults in his life. This goes to show that everybody needs some help to succeed. While Jose had the help of mentors, teachers, and his grandmother, it seems as if other kids in the village are left to basically fend for themselves while the adults work tirelessly in the field. Because they are left with no instruction or hope, they will wind up working the the fields next. They just want to be kids, as seen when they all get drunk and accidentally start a large fire, but don’t realize how much is at stake because of how little they have. They are seen laughing and having fun, not worrying about the consequences of their actions. In order to make it out of their situation they don’t have time to be kids. Jose is able to succeed because he is more mature due to his knowledge and increased adult interaction. He understands the importance to succeed in school, of work and community, as demonstrated when he offered to help out in the fields when he wasn’t being forced to work, and for his community gaining more knowledge, as seen when he teaches Carmen to write. Jose is lucky in this sense, for it seems as if many kids don’t have a chance to make it out.

    Jose’s story of successes may seem like a story of hope, but it can also be used to show how hopeless the worker’s futures are. They aren’t slaves but they aren’t really free either. They are born into an endless cycle of hard work and low pay, where is takes a lot of work and connections for one boy to be able to attend high school and have a chance at breaking the cycle. When Mendouze is discovered in the field, the workers don’t seem overly sad, but seem to have a sense of understanding and comradery like they know that there is no way out and that the same thing may happen to them one day, too. While Mendouze’s death proved the existence of a cycle will eventually effect all of them to some, it seems as if the death acted as a sign to Jose that the cycle needed to be broken, and inspired him to succeed for both himself and for Mendouze.

Janie Connelly's Sugar Cane Alley Response

“Sugar Cane Alley” directed by Euzhan Palcy traces the growth of a poor black boy named José living in the 1930s French island colony of Martinique, as he ambitiously struggles to define his own future against the odds of an oppressive and seemingly inextricable system of sharecropping and segregation. The movie initially begins with no clear protagonist, the camera following a group of rambunctious children, José among them. Such a strategy, however, parallels the way José learns about his world, through observation and experience. It becomes abundantly clear that all the inhabitants of the street are in the same situation: everyone works in the cane field for subsistence wages, everyone lives in a shack, and everyone is constantly in debt. It is only after the children almost burn down the street that it becomes clear that José is the main character. The rest of the movie follows the way in which José is educated through visual osmosis, for he learns more from the people and world around him than in any textbook. His grandmother M’Man Tine plays a huge role in his pursuit of knowledge in that she refuses for him to end up like all the rest of his neighbors: wasting away in the corn fields, or as she says, working “a prideless job.” She wants to save José from her same fate so she works tirelessly to pay for his primary education in the city and later in Fort-de-France. It is a sad realization that the only hope of transcendence and success in José’s world is to become assimilated into the Frenchman’s world, yet his ambition is nevertheless commendable and viewers, of course, “roots for him.”

He also learns a lot from his quasi-father figure, Medouze, a man who has given his entire life to the cane fields and dreams of an Africa he has and never will see. It is through Medouze that José and the viewer learn about the disillusionment of the people of Martinique in the post-slavery and post-independence era. As Medouze explains, the old French slave-owners simply became oppressive bosses. Although it seems José disagrees with Medouze’s bleak outlook of the black man’s need to accept that which he cannot change, José definitely learns more about his perceived identity. He also learns from Carmen, an ambitious older boy who dreams of becoming an actor in Hollywood. Carmen himself learns much from José, for José teaches him to read and write. But when José turns to Carmen for comfort after his schoolmaster wrongly accuses him of plagiarism, Carmen instead merely boasts of being the lover of lady of the house- whom he’s a servant for. The absence of music in this scene highlights the disappointing realization that José makes, that even someone he has looked up to all his life is allowing himself to be used and exploited by the French. José on the other hand, learns to refuse exploitation in any way, be it by working in the cane fields for abysmally low wages- which we later learn are being stolen by the manager- or cleaning for the woman in town who makes him late for class. José learns from almost all people and settings that he can achieve a better life for himself through education and resisting being exploited by anyone.