The Boucherie By Stephanie Soileau Summary

“The Boucherie” reveals Cajun culture through values, ethics, and their traditions. Stephanie Soileau explores Cajun tradition of how these magical get-togethers show their devotion to good neighboring and their communal country rituals. Cajuns are mostly known for being dauntless as they are very proud over their heritage and of the history they have made for their kind in southern Louisiana. By definition, a boucherie is where several families gather around to slaughter an animal to distribute the share of meat equally, and within this story, a cow that connects many different people. Stephanie Soileau illuminates a message of unity that is formed through Cajun culture by utilizing plot throughout her story.
Through conflict, the protagonist

It began with Slug’s wife, due to the fear of living healthy, they stopped going to the parties that the neighborhood has thrown and that signifies that the old Cajun culture did not want to join the modern version of their kind.”… they stopped visiting their neighbors terrified of the gumbos and etouffees that threatened their blood at every house (13).” Slug’s wife soon dies off malnourishment, providing the reader with enough information to realize that the Cajun culture is dying, but they still did not want to join the new version. In the end of the story, each of the neighbors wondered why they did not help Slug through his melanoma, not only did they realize he is just a normal guy, but that their sense of community that was diminishing was now returning. Slug joins in at the finale of the boucherie to help with the foreigners who were similar to him, outcasts. The Sudanese are a big part in the story as they begin with a large conflict on the boucherie that the neighbors want to throw, insofar as Fatima does not know of the Cajun tradition

The Cajuns used to be free to roam, do as they please and suddenly their way of life is disturbed by rules created by government. Recently there has been an ex-convict that could be Louisiana’s new congressman where not only has he been getting a huge number of supporters based on that every human is not perfect, but also he told the audience that he would like their vote, but he would rather have their respect (Elliott, Debbie) “We like our scoundrels” is well within Cajun beliefs insofar as the story’s paying for meat was rather inferior ,however getting the meat for free without having to pay fat cat business owners is quite a bonus, especially if it’s from their cow. Slug’s comment towards doctors, “Ca connaisse pas rien, those fool doctors (20)”, show his rebelliousness towards government, especially since doctors are leading authority figures of government itself. “Us coonasses been stealing cows since the dawn of time.” The grandmother lied to her grandson about the cow and came back to her group with a great big laugh. Not only have they been doing this for a long time, but they clearly enjoy sticking one to the authorities for taking their lifestyle away. Added through pride, was Khalid’s hate for the guys who drive by his house to keep telling him to go home, which he vented out his hatred out on an old couple’s house(32) in which they would immediately assume