Navigating Fabiola's Absence in Ibi Zoboi “American Street”. A mother has a significant and unique role in a child's life, shaping their social, emotional, and cognitive growth in many different ways. But when this crucial figure is missing, physically or emotionally, it can have a long-term impact on the child's mental health. The absence of a mother figure can leave the child exposed to a variety of challenges, including manipulation by others or by their own religious beliefs, causing them a sense of loneliness that has a big impact throughout the child's life. In American Street by Ibi Zoboi, the author represents how Fabiola's love for her mother begins as a guiding force for her in Detroit, but ultimately becomes an obsession that …show more content…
Fabiola's longing for her mother's presence becomes a source of motivation and support as she faces the realities of her new life in Detroit: “I try to take it all in, even the heavy music, so I can save every bit for my mother. I remind myself to smile, because finally I am here on this side of the good life” (Zoboi 15). Being away from her mother, highlights Fabiola's determination to take in every aspect of her new environment, so she can share it with her mother. She also maintains hope and resilience in order to ultimately enjoy what she considers to be her mother's ideal life. Although Fabiola's hope keeps her motivated to continue waiting for her mother, she fights her feelings of sadness towards her mother's absence. Not being with her mother in Detroit was not in her plans: “It wasn't supposed to be like this. My mother and I were so happy, so excited because all our dreams were coming true” (Zoboi 148). Fabiola's disappointment and helplessness reflects the unexpected reality of experiencing her new life without her mother by her side. Everything changed in an instant, going against her initial plans and expectations. The separation between Fabiola and her husband helps her to be more independent and foster a sense of autonomy, …show more content…
But thinking of my mother is like a long rope keeping me tied to earth” (Zoboi 124). Despite their physical separation from Manman, Fabiola still has a strong emotional bond with her mother, which becomes Fabiola's source of motivation as she faces the difficulties of her new surroundings. Because Fabiola is desperate to bring back her mother, she becomes vulnerable to the manipulation of others, leading her into believe on lwas and voodoo, keeping Manman's essence alive within her. Fabiola's reliance on these spiritual practices, reflects on how now
The vicious cycle created by the code of streets that Elijah Anderson discusses is never ending. Anderson brings up many different factors in the cycle that keep it going, only inhancing crime. Every example the author brought up were actions used to gain respect in the streets. Kids are raised around the violence and are then encouraged by their parents to keep the cycle going. The kids are taught to defend themselves and always win the fight. They have to win fights, be violent and act tough to gain respect. Their accomplishments in violence hold their respect status in the streets. Learning to fight like this and continue the violence cycle then gives people on the streets low tolerance. They are easy to lash out. All of these examples
The mother-infant bond is the familiarity and attachment a mother forms with her offspring. These helpless babies are reliant on their mother’s nurture for survival. This dependence reaches farther than a physiological need. Infants rely on their mothers for a wide variety of demands. The mother-infant bond is critical to maximizing the fitness of each individual, as well as the growth of the species.
In an excerpt of The Street, Ann Petry illustrates Lutie Johnson's determination against the formidable wind and offers a perspective that sheds light on its underestimated consequences. Through personification and selection of detail, the narrator effectively characterizes the wind and its unrelenting "fingers" as an unwelcoming and obtrusive force that is capable of uncovering society's filth.
To begin with, the story focuses on an Italian immigrant family, the Comingo’s, and traces their lives as they grown older. The family consists of a mother named Lucia (Mama), father named Fabio (Papa), and their two sons Giacomo (Jimmy), and Michelino (Michael). Each chapter is devoted to a specific family member and told through his or her own perspective. With each heartfelt story, there is an underlying, moral. For example, when Michael practices restraint by refusing to eat dinner so that he won’t gain weight for his wrestling team. In addition, the stories are also very realistic, in part because of the authors own experience as an Italian immigrant. This being said, the collection of stories is relatable for immigrant families because of the emotions that parents and kids feel in these type of situations. For instance, the parents feel a sense of anxiousness and longing while they try to maintain their cultures tradition. On the other hand, the children try to blend in with other children their age as the...
To begin, both Lena and Ántonia begin in somewhat dire circumstances as they are young, financially poor, female immigrants in a foreign country, which places them in a position of the social “other”. However, it is their marginalization that provides the conditions and motive that progress these you...
In the beginning of The Street (1946), written by Ann Petry, the narrator describes the relationship between the setting and the numerous people involved. The main character, Lutie Johnson is seen struggling against nature. Petry shows this relationship between Johnson and the city setting through imagery, personification, specific detail, and figurative language. The author, Ann Petry uses imagery all throughout this excerpt to relate the relationship between the environment and the people, more specifically Lutie Johnson. One example of imagery found in the passage is located in the very first paragraph when describing the wind. “It rattled the tops of garbage cans, sucked window shades out through the top of
Everyone is the writer of their own story and many times people get caught up in the little bumps along the way when the true life changing decisions are seen or when everything is put on the line. In Andrea Barrett’s short story “The Marburg Sisters” life changing decisions are made. Rose and Bianca, two sisters who were once seemingly inseparable were taken on a wild ride in which they both found what they truly valued and wanted in life. Barrett’s point of view and the girls finally coming to terms with their mother’s death helps to reveal their inner selves.
Natsuaki, M., Ge, X., Leve LD, N. J., Shaw, D. S., RD, C., LV, S., . . . D, R. (n.d.). Maternal Depression: The Roles of Maternal Depression and Parental Responsiveness. National Institute of Health.
The concept of infant-mother attachment is as important to the child as the birth itself. The effect this relationship has on a child shall affect that child for its entire life. A secure attachment to the mother or a primary caregiver is imperative for a child’s development. Ainsworth’s study shows that a mother is responsive to her infant’s behavioral cues which will develop into a strong infant-mother attachment. This will result in a child who can easily, without stress, be separated from his mother and without any anxiety. Of course the study shows a child with a weak infant-mother relationship will lead to mistrust, anxiety, and will never really be that close with the mother. Without the right help, this child may harbor these ill feelings for life.
From a traditional housewife in a white middle-class family, Mother has become a strong woman with independent minds. Her character becomes vivid step by step. Mother and Father represent an ordinary family in society. If their lives can change so much, what about millions of others? Their changes indicate the upcoming revolution taking place in this world.
According to Kagan et al. (1978) attachment is defined as “An intense emotional relationship that is specific to two people, that endures over time, and in which prolonged separation from the partner is accompanied by stress and sorrow” the definition shows attachment is important in life, and is said that our first attachment is very crucial to our development towards other relationships, e.g. with other family members, friends, and romantic relationships. Bowlby (1973) presented that newly born humans are vulnerable and they are genetically programmed to behave in certain ways to ensure survival, and also states mothers inherit a ‘genetic blueprint’ to respond to the baby at all times. The child’s attachment to their mothers will determine how close they are, and how the child acts around strangers, usually giving off any social responses in reaction to being scared, ill or in unfamiliar...
Through the well-studied idea of maternal-infant attachment there has been important insight into a child’s development. Mary Ainsworth found through her “Strange Situation” experiment that there are three distinct types of attachment that infants form; anxious avoidant, secure, and anxious resistant (O’Gorman, 2013). Later a fourth attachment style known as, disorganized attachment, was identified (CITE). Secure attachment is linked to maternal sensitivity just as insecure attachment is linked to maternal rejection or unpredictable maternal response to an infant’s desires and needs (Kinsvatter, Desmond, Yanikoski, & Stahl, 2013). Infants are “at risk” of developing an insecure attachment to their mother when they are placed in alternative care before nine months of age (Stifter, Coulehan, & Fish, 1993). This is concerning in that we see there are negative effec...
feeling detached from their child and significant other, mothers often don’t want to be around
Krohn, F.B., & Bogan, Z. (2001, Dec). The effects absent fathers have on female development
The writer chose to research Mercer’s Theory of Maternal Role Attainment because she is of child-bearing age and will begin a family with her husband within the next five years. The writer believes that the “nurture” process and how a person is socialized within their environment, especially their family, may determine largely how well developed (physically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally) a person will become. By having a greater understanding of Mercer’s Maternal Role Attainment Theory, the writer may have an increased capacity to create healthy relationships with the individuals in her family, especially with her children.