Patron Saints Of Nothing Quotes About Jay Relationship

Family can make or break a person. It’s evident in the novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, by Randy Ribay. Jay, the main character in this novel, is a person who doesn’t have a family connection in his life. He does everything his parents expect him to do, but there is an obvious lack of communication. Throughout this novel, he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth hidden by his family about Jun. Jun is the one and only person who makes him feel like a family member and even though he still holds back in their relationship, the impact Jun has on Jay is clear. Since Jun has been Jay’s primary support system, he’s able to express some parts of himself rather than none. Thus, family support is necessary for a person to survive in a world full
He lives to make his family happy and in this process neglects himself. All his life, he holds his loved ones at a distance. During his childhood and teenage years, “Jun really was the only person I’ve ever talked to about these feelings” (Ribay 6). He only ever felt comfortable enough with Jun to be able to express himself and open up because he never felt like he was in a trustworthy relationship. Even though they lived in different countries and communicated through letters rather than technology, he became the part of his trust bubble. Jay felt so restricted to upholding his perfect image, he never felt like he’d be able to trust anyone other than Jun. He was able to be with him. Even though he did hold back from him, it was in his nature. Moreover, even Jay admits, “Our family doesn’t talk much, and usually anything important is passed along in fragments” (Ribay 14). Jay knows the best way to keep his family happy is by doing well in school and getting into a good college. Emotional and deep conversations are not a part of their family life. It’s evident that Jay’s family influences the way
When he first arrives in the Philippines, he meets a family that he barely knew in his lifetime. As they talk and get to know each other, Tito Ami reveals that Tito Chato and Tina Ines have disputes with each other. When Jay finds out, he thinks, “That’s news to me. Another thing Dad probably knew and chose not to reveal” (Ribay 83). This reveals the lack of communication and transparency within the family, since information isn’t commonly shared. This lack of trust and support creates a sense of disconnection and prevents the building of strong relationships within the family. Without a supportive and trusting family environment, Jay is getting beaten down, dwelling on the different facts his family tells him. It creates a larger and larger thirst for information and truth. Therefore, this pattern of secrecy and transparency has perpetuated grave misunderstandings and miscommunications, leading to fractures in their families that haven’t been addressed for years. When he tries to bring up Jun at the table, Tito Maning has other ideas. He asks about Jay’s college plans and at first he answers truthfully, however Tito Maning gives him a judgemental look as it’s not his