Cereus Blooms At Night By Shani Mootoo

The sexually violent scenes in Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo often contain Mala’s methods of maintaining a sense of control, which was stripped from her when her father began being abusive. Unable to prevent her father’s attacks, Mala finds the comfort and strength to endure them by caring for Asha, Ambrose, and Pohpoh. Despite her traumatic experiences, she is able to maintain a sense of control over herself by focusing her attention on the people she loves, demonstrating how the intermingling of trauma with moments of real beauty and human connection is the most powerful means of surviving against all odds.
After Pohpoh Ramchandin’s mother left and her father began to abuse his daughters, it became “Pohpoh’s mission from the first

day her father put his mouth on her little body to prevent Asha from experiencing the pain of his touch” (Mootoo, 142). Pohpoh took on a protective, mother-like role in order to protect Asha from her father’s physical and sexual abuse but also from the emotional trauma brought on by these sexually violent acts. Pohpoh’s efforts to preserve Asha’s childhood and strength of independence likely influenced Asha to leave Lantanacamara and escape Chandin’s abuse. Unlike Pohpoh, Asha had not become emotionally scarred to the point where she pitied her father and felt the need stay with him. Although Pohpoh was not able escape the violence, the power of protecting her sister brought her the strength to endure it. She sacrificed herself for Asha “as if it were nothing at all,” telling her little sister to stay in her bed when her drunken father called to her at night (Mootoo, 67). In moments like this, Pohpoh was able to somewhat maintain control of the situation by making the decision, herself, to suffer in place of Asha.
Despite the potential terrors waiting for Pohpoh at her home at night, she did her best to provide Asha will the normalcy of a fun and adventurous childhood.

As the girls grew older, they would “sometimes slip away from their father’s house for several hours, fully expecting to face his wrath on their return. The momentary escape, however, was worth any sting afterward” (Mootoo, 78). The girls embraced these excursions because they were proof that they still had the ability to feel true joy and beauty. In preparation for these outings, Pohpoh and Asha would giggle and reminisce about their mother, temporarily forgetting about their current situation at home. In the evening, Pohpoh would cradle Asha in the warmth of her protective arms, comforting her with shadow puppet creations. “Asha’s eyes brightened, her eyebrows arched and a smile twitched and widened at each new animal” while Pohpoh prepared for her father’s call and another night of sacrificing her innocence (Mootoo, 67). Asha was Pohpoh’s greatest source of joy, so she cherished their intimate bonding experiences and used them as her strength to endure her father’s sexual violence. By being the most positive, motherly figure in Asha’s life, Pohpoh felt as though her influence over her sister was powerful enough to dictate her future, sending Asha down a path with a much brighter future than her

own.
After Asha and Ambrose left Lantanacamara, Mala no longer had the close comfort of the two people she cherished most. So when Mala discovered that Ambrose had returned to their hometown, she was overjoyed and extraordinarily excited to see him again. In excited anticipation of reuniting with Ambrose, “Mala complied with Chandin Ramchandin’s expectations that she lie down with him. She let him more easily than ordinarily lay his coarse hands on her belly, for she was in possession of a joy and hope that allowed her to block the whole thing out” (Mootoo, 194). Even after her father had raped her and fallen asleep, Mala immediately ran to the window to admire the frangipani blossoms that reminded her of Ambrose. Her love for Ambrose and her looking forward to his visits was more powerful than her hatred for her father and the traumatic experiences he forced upon her. By focusing all her thoughts on Ambrose, Mala was able to maintain control, deciding for herself what emotions to feel, regardless of the abuse she was enduring at that moment.
Mala’s excitement carried into the following days as she cooked meals for her father, “a chore she performed without much thought or caring” (Mootoo, 202). But because she was preparing enough food to show off for Ambrose, the task became a “delightful production” (Ibid). Unfortunately, Ambrose’s distracting, new presence in Mala’s life caused her to lose track of what day it was, resulting in her not preparing the meal her father requested. In response to Mala’s mistake, Chandin Ramchandin rammed the stew-filled bowl into his daughter’s face, causing her to bleed. She did not feel pain as he slammed his pelvis into her, but instead she concentrated on the enamel texture of the bowl and the seasoning of the dish she prepared. To her delight, her stew was perfectly seasoned, and “she was pleased she had saved some back for Ambrose” (Mootoo, 205). As terrifying as Chandin’s attack was, Mala was not concerned about herself. Just as Asha was her main concern, Ambrose became the focus of all of Mala’s thoughts and attention. Rather than disappoint Ambrose, Mala faced her father’s violence with an ability to handle the attacks by creating distractions for herself.
When Mala daydreamed about Ambrose, it was as if she was living in a fairytale with Ambrose “as the lady who would one day be rescued by him and revealed to all the world as a princess stolen by the commoners at birth” (Mootoo 226).

Mala literally imagined herself as a princess and Ambrose as her prince living a perfect yet unrealistic life with each other. Mala was accepting of the fact that she would still have to face her father’s abuse after her daytime rendezvous with Ambrose but refused to admit this to her “prince,” for it could ruin the fairytale idea of their relationship. This fantasy helped Mala cope with her traumas by making her feel as though she had some control over herself, even it it was just in her imagination. Her ability to powerfully compartmentalize allowed Mala to feel true joy and beauty and the exhilaration of

love.
Mala’s disassociation with Pohpoh helped her to preserve Pohpoh and have closure, giving herself the ability that she never had as a child, to protect Pohpoh and decide her own fate. As Mala aged and reminisced on the things and the people that brought her joy, this imagination of hers grew. She imagined that Pohpoh, the younger version of herself, simultaneously existed with her current, older self. Mala treated Pohpoh as if she were a different person, trying to relive her childhood and protect her from the trauma Mala endured. Just as Pohpoh made it her goal to protect Asha, Mala made it her goal to protect Pohpoh, offering the imaginary child refuge in her house. Mala warned Pohpoh to stay away from her father, although he had clearly been dead for many years. And as the police began to search Mala’s house, Mala’s chanted “Save Pohpoh...Save Pohpoh,” only concerned with caring for her imaginary child-self (Mootoo, 180). She yelled for Pohpoh to run away, to “take off and fly,” as she watched her little girl-self escape from the trauma that consumed her childhood. Loving Pohpoh was like loving another person, but was also Mala’s way of performing self-love. In this fantasized moment, Mala was able to obtain a sense of comfort by imagining and believing that she had saved Pohpoh, a part of herself.
Since Pohpoh lost the ability to physically protect herself when her father began abusing her, she made efforts to maintain any control that she could through her love and care for Asha, Ambrose, and Pohpoh. Because of her deep love for and sincerest human connection with her sister, childhood friend, and childhood self, Mala was able to maintain a sense of control of herself while surviving many violent and sexual traumas by finding joy, comfort, and strength in caring for them.