In Class Writing

I would put Desiree in a quilted style dress that focuses on blue being the main color, perhaps as the bodice portion, and have green, red, black, and white as patches of the skirt portions and the arms. I would include mismatched string so the dress looks like it had been modified and changes throughout the years as she has grown. The peasants would generally be in browns, army greens, and generally very dark dull colors. Significantly part of Desiree's dress (the patchwork) is in the peasant colors to show her connection, but as I stated the main piece of the gown would be in a blue color. This would helpful so that the audience can see a significance in that she doesn't match the peasants and that she is wearing the same color as Agwe, the God of water. Because Desiree doesn't fit in with the islands "norms" it is important that she wears an outfit that signifies that. I would keep her shoulders bare, I would do this so that we could attach butterflies to her shoulders in scenes and show a possible connection to Asaka through that as well. I would have Desiree with long hair (cornrows, box braids) to show a whimsical feel and a more magical element while some of the other peasants have very short hair or it isn't done in an intricate braiding pattern. The reason for mentioning the white patches above is to demon straight a connection with the rich when Daniel crashes his car, I would have the white in her dress get larger after her encounter with him and replace some of the black patches. This would be because she fought Papa Ge in order to try and save the boy. The dress would go about mid-calf and I would have this long to retain an aspect of modesty that the islanders presumably had, but I would keep it higher to show her growth. The peasants would have their outfits go all the way to their ankles, some maybe a little longer to show that they have proper fitting garments but Desiree is still growing and they need to make her a new dress.
Because Desiree is seen as having a connection with Agwe it is important to demonstrate that connection with the audience, this is a piece for the hair as well. Because Desiree was originally in an ocean village I would put seashells in her hair,this would also show symbolism with the God Agwe and be able to demonstrate a continued connection. I would also have her wear a blue beaded necklace, they beads would be made out of wood and painted to be a royal blue color, this would match her dress as well. I would keep Desirees connection to the other Gods minimal but still there as she prays often, I would use these in the form of patches on her dress.
As I briefly mentioned before Desiree has a connection with Daniel after she tried to save him, though she couldn't get him to wake up she did have contact with him often. I think that something I might do to show this connection is have her haid painted white, so that when she reached into the car to feel if Daniel was alive her hand came out white. White is the color that I would have the rich in, and because the rich were mentioned as Europeans. Aswell when she is there trying to heal him the white paint starts to crack and fall off as Papa Ge keeps coming and Daniel's state worsens. Then when Daniel has gone I would add some more white to her dress to show that they are connected just like Desiree is with Agwe.
Desiree does live in a peasant village and with that, she has some connection with the people that live there, she has her two adoptive parents mama E and Tonton Julian. To show a connection with them I would have her dress be the same cut as mama E, this way you could see that mama E made both of their dresses and I would have Tonton Julian wear a string with a few blue beads as well. This would be a gift that Desiree made him when she was making hers and it connects them. I chose this because it seemed as though Desiree liked the spark that tonton Julian had in his eyes because he was similar to her in that he was a dreamer.