All Men Are Mad

All Men Are Mad, the final of the four novels written by the Marcelin brothers is perhaps the most intriguing. Published in 1970 (and translated by Eva Thoby-Marcelin), the novel explores the effects of the anti-superstition campaign of 1942 on Boischandelle, a small town in the hills of Haiti's West. Highly critical of President Lescot and drawing on historical events, the novel is a searing indictment of religious oppression, as well as the role of the state (and clergy) in abusing religion for political and economic ambitions. With a great sense of humor, the narrator in this novel satirizes every aspect of Haitian society, too, so as to not solely ridicule the Haitian government, the Catholic Church, and the Protestants.

In numerous ways, the three faiths (Protestantism, Vodou, and Catholicism) are demonstrated to have much in common, despite the beliefs of Father Le Bellec and Bienaime, the pastor of the Pentecostalist church, which is one of the ways in which the 'madness' of the anti-superstition campaign is displayed. Turning families against one another, dividing, the community, and receiving government support for violence against Protestants as well as Vodou believers, the anti-superstition campaign is clearly about power and influence, not faith, in this novel. Indeed, several characters suspect the Church pushes for the campaign for subversive goals, and to strengthen their hold of 'Black Brittany' (many of the priests are from Brittany, in France) under the threat of Lescot bringing in Canadian priests. The government of Lescot is suspected of organizing gunfire and attacks in Catholic churches (three in Port-au-Prince, one in Boischandelle) and for orchestrating the "anti-superstition' campaign to further the state's own interest, of weakening the Church and getting the Archbishop to consecrate the National Cathedral and declare Haiti's patron saint Our Lady of Perpetual Help (which, like much of the novel, is historical fact). 

On the local level, different actors, religious leaders, and followers of the lwa have their own various reasons for supporting or resisting the violent campaign, led by the French priest, Father Le Bellec, whose Soldiers of Saint Michael commit numerous acts of violence and destruction against Protestants and Vodouisants. Wrapped up in this larger story arc, numerous jealousies, political power grabs, avarice, and follies of the sexual, linguistic, and religious kinds lead to catastrophic crises in the community. Like the previous novels of the Marcelin brothers, change emanating from Port-au-Prince or outsiders brings about significant change at the provincial level with several problems for the residents.

In addition, a Dominican prostitute, the US Ambassador, allusions to the US Marines from the Occupation, satirical portraits of government officials obsessed with Latin and pretentious dialogue, and last but certainly not least, the intervention of the loas themselves add layers of complexity and context to this relatively short novel. Clearly, the Marcelin brothers, when satirizing the 'madness' or folly of Haiti, are tying this to other parts of the world in equal measure or blame, such as the "superstitious" beliefs of the Catholic priest, Le Bellec, or the convulsions and possessions of the Pentecostalist church, both of which reveal the commonalities both faiths share with each other and Vodou. Instead of finding unity or peaceful coexistence, as the Vodouisant do in finding no problem with serving the loas and God, because the loa are servants of God, 'madness' drives the religious communities apart and into conflict over power, influence, and control, much like the heads of nation-states. The appearance of the loas themselves, most significantly Ogou Ferraille, while possessing the son of the hougan of Bassin-Bleu, challenges this folly most directly, by symbolizing the fluidity of religious identity.

In summation, I recommend this as one of the strongest novels by Pierre Marcelin and Philippe Thoby-Marcelin. The translation retains Creole songs, rich proverbs, and satirizes the numerous cases of madness that drive the community apart. Obsession with status, power, rank, and national image turn Haitians against each other in the most folly of follies, the anti-superstition campaign. The novel's conclusion reveals the ultimate bitter truth, previously explained by Estinval, a houngan who renounces and supports the campaign, who explains the conflict as a battle of father and mother, which will end soon in a reconciliation of sorts. This is exactly how the novel concludes, with the intrigue over and the President coming out of the situation more pompous and proud of himself than ever, having won for Haiti a patron saint to improve the nation's image and that of his own regime. The multiple levels of 'madness' at the local and national level, from the Justice of the Peace's incomprehensible use of Latin (which inhibits communication) to the misguided and immoral camapgisn against Vodou, exemplify the dichotomies of Haitian society, which, as Marlene Daut and Karen Richman argue, are universal problems beyond the Caribbean.

Favorite Quotes

"Macdonald Origene could boast all he wanted that he was a Cartesian, he kept on being impressed by the surprising cures the houngan effected" (28).

"Still, he meant no harm, and the fact is that color prejudice has so permeated the language of white people, bringing into it over the centuries, together with the confused notions of race, civilization, "primitiveness," a whole system of cliches and expressions unfavorable to the black man, that it would not be fair to accuse Father Le Bellec of racism" (96).

"Haiti is a land fertile in myths; it produces new ones every blessed day. And the credulity of the peasants, like that of the Breton priests, is infinite" (168).