Brother: A Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses police brutality, murder, and racism.

David Chariandy, author of Brother, is regarded as one of the foremost voices in Canadian literature for his honest writing about identity, race, family, and the ties immigrants have with their communities. Chariandy’s parents immigrated from Trinidad to Canada, where Chariandy was born; he grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, the setting of Brother. This connection to Trinidad is incorporated into Brother through the main characters’ own heritage as Canadian Trinidadians.

Chariandy’s debut novel, Soucouyant, published in 2007, explores the intimate ties an immigrant has with their native country while balancing a commitment to their new country, raising questions about the true meaning of home. Brother has a similar theme, as Michael’s mother works hard to make Canada her home while her Canadian sons struggle to build an identity far away from Trinidad. Furthermore, both novels center on young men who grapple with family relationships, especially with their mothers.

The theme of family is also evident in Chariandy’s book of nonfiction, I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You, published in 2019. In the book, he explains to his daughter the story of her ethnic and cultural heritage, believing that knowledge of where one comes from is important to one’s understanding of self.