Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Moloka’i by Alan Brennert
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2003
Fiction; 389 pgs

Completed: 08/11/2007
Rating: (Outstanding)


First Sentence: Later, when memory was all she had to sustain her, she would come to cherish it: Old Honolulu as it was then, as it would never be again.

Reason for Reading: This is my 8th selection for the TBR Challenge. I wish I could remember where I first heard about this book. It had been sitting on my shelf since January of 2006.

Comments: I lived in Hawai’i for a short time during my childhood. My father had been stationed there. Although my memories are vague and few because of my young age at the time, one of the things that most stands out is the Hawaiian language. I grew up hearing bits and pieces of the Hawaiian language even long after my family left Hawai’i. My mother still signs her Christmas letter with the Hawaiian Christmas and New Year’s greeting (Mele Kalikimaka, Hau'oli Makahiki Hou). Hawai’i will always hold a special place in my heart and in my memory because it was once a place I called home, for however short a period of time in the scheme of my life. Moloka’i gave me the chance to revisit that time in my life.

But even with the reawakening of that part of my life, the novel itself is set outside of my own experiences. My knowledge of Hawaiian history is small, sad to say. Moloka’i was once feared for its powerful sorcerers and in history would become even more famous for being the home of a leper colony. During the mid-1800’s and into the early to mid-1900’s, people diagnosed with leprosy, what later would be more accurately labeled as Hansen’s Disease, were forced into a sort of exile or quarantine where they would live out the rest of their lives and die. When the first “lepers” were left on the island they were completely on their own. They had to find their own shelter and food. Make do with what nature had to offer them. Alan Brennert’s novel takes place after the island has been settled for some time, aid that was brought to the island by the Catholic Church through the guidance of Father Damien.

In Alan Brennert’s novel, a six-year-old Rachel is like every young girl her age. She adores her sea faring father and dreams of traveling the world like him someday; she treasures her doll collection, plays with her friends, and engages in occasional sibling rivalry. In a fight with her sister, her mother discovers a blemish on her skin, one that strikes fear in her mother’s heart. Seeking natural and native remedies, Dorothy Kalama does what she can to try and find a cure for her daughter in the hopes her daughter’s illness is not what she suspects it may be. When nothing works, Rachel must hide the signs of illness in fear of being discovered and sent away.

In a heartbreaking moment when the truth comes out, Rachel is torn from her family and forced into isolation with others suffering from the same illness. When the doctor determines that her illness is neither improving nor likely to improve, seven-year-old Rachel finds herself on a boat headed for Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i. Her only comfort is in knowing that her Uncle Pono, also suffering from leprosy, will be waiting for her.

Moloka’i is not a happy story. Nor is it a completely sad one. Even in the direst of moments, when grief is at its greatest and things appear that they cannot possibly get any worse, there is always hope. The spirit of the sufferers on the island contributes to that for while depression and anger at their situations ebb and flow like the tide, they still have lives to lead—and that is exactly what they do. They live. They love, marry, dance, sing, worship, work, and play. While for many, life is cut short, for others it is long lived. Those with the disease show the scars and deformations of the disease, but it does not stop them from living their lives as best they can. And yet, Moloka’i, like in other parts of the world, has its share of violence and crime, its share of hate and discrimination. Their faith and the faith of those around them was tested time and time again.

Sister Catherine who spent a good deal of her life working with the sufferers on Moloka’i stumbles over her belief in God, constantly asking why God would give a child leprosy, much less take them at such a young age. And yet many of the Catholic nuns, including Sister Catherine, and priests gave aid and comfort to so many on the island. For Haleola, a kahuna, her faith in Hawaiian tradition helped her stay strong, as well provided much needed guidance and assurance to those around her, including Rachel. Both Catherine and Haleola play a large part in Rachel’s life as mother figures, each of them offering her support and guidance.

Rachel’s story and that of the many of the other characters in the book are fictional, however, there is truth in them as well. The author drew from real life accounts and people to create his story, lending it an authenticity that makes it even more heart wrenching. The novel spans several decades, beginning in 1891 and ending in 1970. Throughout that time, Hawai’i went through several changes: the loss of a king, the usurpation of a queen, annexation, the marvel of the moving picture show, automobiles, airplanes, the attack on Pearl Harbor, a deadly Tsunami, and medical advances. These are among the more well known influences that were experienced and shared by the settlers on Moloka’i just as they were around the world. In many ways it was harder for them because they were isolated and cut off from their friends and families.

Society itself held great contempt for those with leprosy. Families who had loved ones diagnosed with the disease went into hiding or cut old ties and built new lives, sometimes completely denying their sick relative. Some families took great pains to hide the illness when it was discovered that a loved one may suffer from it, going into hiding or sending the family member away hoping they would not be found out. Even after medical advances proved that Hansen’s Disease was not the threat it was once believed to be, people still shied away from and discriminated against those who once had suffered from the illness.

Alan Brennert has written a heart wrenching and poignant novel. The novel is complex in nature and tackles many issues, including unexpected ones in such a way as to make Rachel’s story even more compelling. Her struggles were many and yet she continued to have hope and demonstrated courage and strength throughout her experiences. Her pain and suffering became my own as I read Moloka’i. I grieved with her, rode the surf with her, and felt her anguish and hope. While the cultural aspects and the setting may have touched me in a personal way, Alan Brennert’s novel touched me in an even deeper way. Moloka’i is an unforgettable story, and one I think everyone should read.

Favorite Part: I liked how the author weaved in the historical anchors to the story, offering a stronger sense of time and place. The Hawaiian folklore offered a looking into the traditions and beliefs of Hawaiian culture that also held significance in the novel, both for the story itself and the characters. At one point in the novel, Rachel is telling the story of Maui to a group of children, and their eagerness to listen was just as intense as mine whenever a story like that was told throughout the novel.

One of my favorite scenes from the book in particular was when Rachel treats the doctor examining her at Kalihi to a taste of what she is experiencing. The exam got rather personal and, lashing out, she made sure he felt some of her discomfort.

Another of my favorite parts of the novel is after the death of someone very dear to Rachel. She is terribly sad and Haleola talks with her about the spirits of their ancestors:

“’Our ‘aumākua often look after us here on earth. Some take the form of sharks, and if a descendant is drowning in the sea, the shark may offer up its fin to pull them to shore. Other spirits become owls, fish, lizards, whatever permits them to watch over their families.’

‘There is an old prayer: ‘Aumākua of the night, watch over your offspring, enfold them in the belt of light.’”

That night as Rachel is trying to sleep, she hears and sees an owl outside, which brings her great comfort:

“Rachel smiled, somehow no longer afraid, and went back to bed: surrounded by darkness yet enfolded in light.”

I had other favorite moments, mostly happy ones which unfortunately would offer too much of a spoiler to disclose here.

Most Heartbreaking Scene: As I read the novel, my heart broke in several places. It seemed that just as a little light would shine down on Rachel and those around her, it would be blighted out by a darker event. It wasn’t always like that, but most of the way through the book, it was.

I had to stop reading when I reached the part of the book about mothers on the island having to be separated from their children at birth. While the child could remain on the island for a year and parents could visit the infant, it was behind a glass window, no touching allowed. Imagine hearing your baby crying and seeing the child in obvious discomfort and not being able to hold the child, comfort the child. After a year, the infants were sent to live with healthy relatives off the island or adopted out. It was common for healthy family members to refuse the child out of fear for their own health and because of stigma in society they fought to avoid. For those of you who have read the book, you can probably guess which part of the book I mean.

Miscellaneous: Anjin and I watched Stardust and Bourne Ultimatum this weekend. We enjoyed both. Stardust varied from the book, sometimes in major ways, although the story was basically the same. Taking the movie for itself, it was a very entertaining movie, well worth seeing. Of course the book is better, if you must compare. Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings captured my thoughts precisely on his blog and he does a much better job of expressing himself than I ever could.

I have been a fan of the Bourne movies since the first one came out and Bourne Ultimatum did not disappoint. It was action packed and went so fast that it was over before I knew it. I love watching Matt Damon in action and those car chase scenes were exciting and cringe worthy. This third movie overlaps with the second one in a couple of places. making me glad my husband and I watched the first two movies again earlier in the week.

I found the third season of The Wire on sale Friday, and so I am sure Anjin and I will be watching that soon. I can hardly wait!