Estrella’s mother, Petra, was left a long time ago by her husband. It is her circumstances that the reader is asked to relate with most. Estrella learns from her father’s disappearance that men cannot be trusted or depended on, and that women will usually always be left to take care of the family. Just as Petra has been abandoned physically by Estrella's father, and mentally by Perfecto, Estrella soon will come to be abandoned by Alejo. The fact that Perfecto has not married her mother, furthers this idea of lack of commitment made by the men in her life. “The eucalyptus trees lined the dirt road like a row of thin dancing girls fanning their feathers. Estrella knows the world of men and women through her mother Petra and Perfecto, ‘the man who was not her father’" (3). Viramontes is sympathetic to the men in some ways, but she does emphasize that when the men abandon the family, the women are left to endure for themselves and their children. Estrella and Alejo’s relationship, serves as a major basis for the author's allegation in this idea of suffering. Alejo’s death represents how once again a female is left behind. Estrella is the heart and soul of the novel and her love for Alejo, was more important than Alejo…
Josie Mendez-Negrete’s novel, Las Hijas de Juan: Daughters Betrayed, is a very disturbing tale about brutal domestic abuse and incest. Negrete’s novel is an autobiography regarding experiences of incest in a working-class Mexican American family. It is Josie Mendez-Negrete’s story of how she, her siblings, and her mother survived years of violence and sexual abuse at the hands of her father. “Las Hijas de Juan" is told chronologically, from the time Mendez-Negrete was a child until she was a young adult trying, along with the rest of her family, to come to terms with her father 's brutal legacy. It is a upsetting story of abuse and shame compounded by cultural and linguistic isolation and a system of patriarchy that devalues the experiences of women and girls. At the same time, "Las Hijas de Juan" is an inspirational tale, filled with strong women and hard-won solace found in traditional Mexican cooking, songs, and storytelling.…
Luisa's appearance reveals her Latin background from the very beginning. She has been in Canada since age 4, always in Toronto. "My mom used to say that, since I was little, I was free of any kind of judgement or chains. I found my place here then," says the laughing girl. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, where the population is around 2 mi (little bit less than Toronto), Luisa gets herself ready for school. "I've worked in some restaurants doing different chores, and since then I feel comfortable in the kitchen and organizing staff. I can't wait to start my cooking…
On pages 179-179 of When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago shows Negi’s experience of sexual harassment. Wanting to learn how to play the piano, her principal offers to teach her lessons in his house, Negi going by herself. Being someone Negi trusts, her principal takes advantage of that, looking at her breasts, leaving Negi humiliated. The authors’ experience of this displays how common it is for young girls to experience sexual harassment, especially from someone they trust. The text is important as it shows how traumatizing experiencing sexual harassment is, as well as how common it is.…
The most infamous serial killer in modern history, Andrei Chikatilo was born in the Ukrainian part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, on October 16 1963. Andrei grew up through the “Great Ukrainian Famine”, which was when millions of Ukrainians were killed by starvation. The shortage of food caused there to be widespread of cannibalism that was documented during the famine. Andrei’s mother would also make him believe of a horrific fictitious story where his older brother was kidnapped and cannibalized. As a child, Andrei was a kid that would be bullied by kids, beaten by his mother, and read violent books. It would later be discovered that…
Today, family is one of the most sacred values we share in the individualist society we live in. Every family is different and has different rules and values; but in most of them, fathers are supposed to be leaders of the family, and role models for their children. They are also considerate like the one who transmits the traditions of their ancestors in order to carry them on. “Fiesta, 1980” is a short story written by Junot Dìaz taken from his short story collection, Drown, (1996). “Killings” is also a short story taken from, Finding a Girl in America (1980), written by Andre Dubus. Both of these stories are dealing with the family’s subject and provide us different perspectives of it. In Dìaz’s story we can see the relationship among a foreigner family, while in Andre Dubus’s story we see an American average family. In both stories, fathers play an important role; they figure prominently and have a considerable impact on their family but on the story also. The father in Dubus’s story is more family oriented that the one in Dìaz’; moreover the family is more closely–knit in Dubus’s story than in Dìaz’s story. The difference between the behaviors of the two fathers can be explained by their cultural backgrounds, which are not the same. These stories also provide us another perspective of the father’s role in the family, through their strength and their weakness without compromise.…
The modern woman can be perceived to be the product of the woman before the 1950s. The woman before the 50s-experienced plenty of struggles when it came to exercising her rights. She did not have the freedom to vote, take part in the technical field or be involved in leadership. Furthermore, the woman from the minority group were the ones mostly affected because of racial discrimination. The woman was confined to her household; responsible for keeping the house in order and taking care of the children.…
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Contrary to his belief or “version” of masculinity holding the key to his dreams, it was his genuine personality and gentle character that attracted his crush Blanca Saldivia. Blanca, a Pentecostal girl who was praised by all those who knew her due to the pureness and beauty she possessed, was captivated by Julio’s non-violent nature. It separated Chino from the rest of the young hooligans like his best friend or “pana” Sapo. His dream of…
Luis Garavito, who I will describe as a human animal on my research is the worst serial killer in the world. His full name is Luis Alfredo Garavito, born on January 25, 1957 Colombia, this animal serial killer was convicted of the horrible killing 189 boys in the 1990s. He is also known as “la bestia” the beast, this animal mainly focused on very poor neighborhoods and looks for kids at the age of six to sixteen. He choose poor kids because he knew they will never be reported as missing because they will never pay no attention if they were missed or just runaways to their own families.…
Natalia is unable to gain work because she “was a red” and “a person like [her could] get us in trouble” (Rodoreda, 143). Her husband’s association with the opposition caused her to lose the opportunity to provide for her family after his death. In Pa negre, Andreu’s father’s, Farriol’s, association caused his family just as much trouble. Farriol was in opposition to Franco during the war, which caused him to be a main suspect of a murder. And after he is persecuted and later executed, his association was a contributor to his death. Farriol’s association caused his family to be ripped apart and Andreu fatherless. Both stories explore how being on the wrong side can derail life and destroy families. However, in Pa negre, Villaronga also provides insight into what was appropriate for Fascist society post-war. Gay people were put into camps, and others were told the camps were for ‘sick’ people. It showed the lengths that Franco would go to keep society the way that he preferred. However, Villaronga does not show any of the physical…
Rodriguez paints for the readers a dreary present, one in which there is a great divide and disconnect that exists between each member of his family, colored by a sense of guilt, shown through selection of detail, narrative structure, and punctuation. The divide between the parents and their children becomes most apparent when the children rush to leave in their “expensive foreign cars”, the sister in her…
The themes in this story are all related to adolescence and the problems that come with it, as in gaining acceptance amongst friends and classmates as well as victimization, problems with one’s parents - a constant split between two minds concerning one with what is right or wrong. The relationship between the parents and their child is also discussed in this story as well as the parents’ roles in the upbringing of their children. Many children are victimized in the modern society and it has become a very serious problem and therefore also a much highlighted topic. The fact that there is such a high rate of victimization today in the modern schools could be a result from the great pressure that lies on children nowadays. How the parents wish for their children to become just as successful as themselves, if not even more and this pressure might be a reason as to why they become bullies. Their bullying could be a reaction on their inner frustration and grief and therefore to gain acceptance has great importance when it comes to youngsters, who are trying to adapt themselves to a certain environment…
Antonio Marez is a child of eight years of age who is moving to adolescence who is eager to know what the future holds for him. He comes from two different types of parent his mother a Luna who was brought up as a Catholic farmer and his farther a Marez from the llano a cowboy. Antonio feels pressure in pleasing both of his parents not knowing how to settle the two cultures into his life. Challenges standards such as the myth and bring in different ideas through the perspective of Antonio Marez questioning his religious beliefs. He strives to make his own moral decisions as well accept his responsibility for the consequences that came along from his loss of innocence to…
Flavio’s Home story started in Slums on outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil when Gordon parks and Jose Gallo were looking for a father with his family to report detailed life such as the father’s financial situation, political leaning, and religion; however; when they were in the way looking for a father they met Flavio. “Flavio was miserably thin, naked but for filthy denim shorts. His legs resembled sticks covered with skin and screwed into his feet. Death was all over him, in his sunken eyes, cheeks and jaundiced coloring” Parks said. Flavio condition turn parks attention to a new story. Parks and Gallo followed Flavio to his home on top of mountainside and discovered how bad the situation was. Flavio’s home reveal a twelve years old boy was like a father for six kids with a lot of responsibilities. When they arrived Flavio started introduce his brothers and sisters. Then Flavio prepared to cook by washing rice. He asked his brothers and sisters to wash up by using the finished water from rice washing. Then he washed dirty floor and washed himself with the rest of the water. He put some beans on the stove to warm and told his sister I would be back shortly but don’t let the beans burn. He came back with wood and took a few minutes rest then he went to get water. After he came back his parent came in he already told them about Parks and Gallo. The mother was pregnant and the angry father who everyone is afraid of him sat at dinner, which Flavio served. “Flavio edged his rice and beans toward us, gesturing for us to take some. We refused. He smiled, knowing we understood.” Parks said.…