You Only Know You Love Her When You Let Her Go

You Only Know You Love Her When You Let Her Go

What makes Tonton Julian my favorite character in My Love, My Love

My favorite character in My Love, My Love is Tonton Julian. He is always thinking practical and is grumpy but he has a good heart. When he and Mama Euralie discover Ti Moune as a child in the tree he isn’t too happy: “Another stomach to fill,’ Tonton Julian had grumbled, for those of us whose mouths are forever dry.’ Nevertheless he had picked her up so gently that her head fell against his heart. Stomping knee deep through the mood he had taken her back to their village...and put her down on what was forever to be her mat” Thought when he first sees Ti Moune in the tree Tonton Julian things about the consequences it could have to take home and care for her, he would never leave a poor little orphan to die.

          Tonton Julian is critical of the Gods. Thought he believes and trusts in them he also criticises them. During the drought in the first chapter of the book Mama Euralie, convinced that her faith is in the God's hands, promises that the Gods haven’t forgotten them and promises rain will come. Tonton Julian responds: “Too little rain will not help this drought. Too much will wash away the soil. And here you are-your Gods making playthings of us poor peasants.” With this Tonton is saying how dependent they are on the Gods. Their survival is based on the Gods decision, in this case Agwes decision to send the right amount of rain. This way the peasants become the “playthings” of the Gods. I like that Tonton is critical towards the Gods. Thought he believes that his fate is in the God's hands he is aware how much the well being of the peasants depends on the God's mercy. This makes him an open and smart character and more openminded than the other peasants and that makes him sympathetic for me.

       Tonton Julian loves Ti Moune like a daughter. He would do everything to her but at the same time he would never let his love stand in her way to find her own happiness. After Monsieur Gabriel Beauxhomme comes to pick up Daniel Ti Moune wants to leave the peasants and follow him. Tonton Julian says: “If Ti Moune feels she must go…” however Mama Euralie is against it: “Ti Moune is our treasure, Monsieur Julian. How do we get on without her?” To which he gently replies: “Treasures that need constant watching have already been lost.” He loves Ti Moune and will miss her but he would not keep her from finding her own path to happiness. He knows that if trying to keep Ti Moune from leaving, he would truly lose her. I like that he understands that she must find her own way to be happy and that his love for her is big enough to let her leave.    

Tonton Julian is an open minded smart character. Critical and understanding of the world around him. He trusts in the Gods and is happy with what he has but he will not make others think about that the same way he does. He deeply loves Ti Moune but is mature enough to let her leave because her heart tells her too, knowing it would be selfish to try to keep her because of his love and fear to lose her.