Analyzing ‘How Dare the Sun Rise’ Through a Marxist Lens

In the novel, How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child, Sandra Uwiringiyimana and her family immigrate as refugees to the United States where they experience the social constructs of western civilization. Interestingly, Sandra’s family could not understand or justify why these social constructs are in place, which I believe says something about these constructs. While Canada is a country that embodies a “cultural mosaic” approach to immigration, the United States takes a different approach to immigration known as “the melting pot.” The term refers to the ideology that those immigrating to the United States are expected to adopt the American culture, which explains the little government support for multicultural programs. This ideology is revealed in How Dare the Sun Rise where Sandra’s family receives no programs or support that would preserve or celebrate their culture. The lack of belief that multiculturalism can enhance a nation is revealed in the novel not only by the little government support offered but also the white supremacy attitudes that Sandra’s family encounter numerous times. We see this white supremacy when Sandra’s family went to a clothes drive upon arriving to the United States. The caseworker appeared surprised that Sandra’s family was not more taken by clothing items that the average American would not be caught dead in (pg. 144).

The book also makes an important stance on feminism as Sandra voices the same beliefs as her parents in regard to equality among women and men. We see this belief revealed by Sandra’s dad who not only voices his opinion on the importance of his daughters going to school but also deciding he will divide his property equally among his children. The notion that women should stay at home and produce babies, an ideology in Congo, is challenged by Sandra’s mother who decides to run her own business. Sandra proudly identifies as a feminist- like her mother and Dad.

            Furthermore, the book portrays how white supremacy is reflected in class division. Neighbourhoods and schools are segregated based on social and economic status. Sandra’s family was placed in a low economic neighbourhood, which was populated mostly by African Americans (112). Sandra makes the observation that it doesn’t matter that she does not see the color of her skin as a defining feature of who she is as a person because other people do. Sandra also noticed how race and culture was a defining feature in her own family. Sandra notices this when she dated outside of her race and culture as she was met by disapproval by her family. However, Sandra challenges this belief in her book as she voices her desire to be someone that looks beyond the color of people’s skin, culture or class. To Sandra, the belief of exclusion and division is what killed her Sister Deborah and therefore, Sandra communicates in her book that she does not want to embody those same ideologies that cause so much blood shed (246). I believe this was one of the most important points Sandra wanted to convey in her book.