An Analysis of “Drown” Everyone desires to be successful in their future in order to provide for their family. “Drown” by Diaz has a parallel image to such statement. Throughout the story we find how a family struggles to adapt to a new culture and how that affects their social life. Further, Diaz expresses experiences of immigration and masculinity by stating and demonstrating how a family struggles without having the dominant help in which during this times it is believe to be men. Could of the presence of a father made a difference as this family migrated to a different culture? Certainly, the head of the house makes decisions for the better of the family, thus throughout the story it is clearly seen how women fight through truculent …show more content…
times to support its family. This analysis will cover the struggles a young men and his family faces as they live in a country different from their manners and how multicultural factors shaped their individual lives.
Diaz and Immigration The American dream could be described as a double edge sword. We can see how entering an atmosphere/culture different from your heritage can become a challenge. Diaz brings the struggles and how challenging it is as there is no formal education “I had another year to go in high school, no promises elsewhere” (Diaz 1666). From personal experiences we can say that the United States portrays education heavily and how it is essential in order to be successful. Further, Diaz focuses and states how families that emigrate wind up in ghetto neighborhoods. In most cases this has an influence on the behavior of any individual(s). Friends of course are the number one source of influence, however, it can also be the desperation of poverty that can lead to do unethical things “My mother never suspected, even …show more content…
when my clothes couldn’t all fit in my closet, but my father wasn’t that easy” (Diaz 1669). A situation like this affects socialism and it has a moral impact. Diaz touches on all those points. As young men are advised to taken on responsibility and to look into the workforce to stay away from misleading acts. In most cases the advised goes in one ear and exist the other and this is due to the lack of maturity or interest. Though, as Diaz arrived to the United States something important to point out is the environment in which he resides in and how Beto makes feel he is not much of a success. However, being in the States he encountered opportunities to succeed “Son, I know who is hiring. It’s the United States government. Well. Sorry, but I ain’t army material” (Diaz 1670). This clearly states the lack of education and manners in which it does not Diaz to capture how the workforce could benefit him. As Diaz struggled on managing his life his mother finds herself struggling through life. Masculinity Throughout this times/era we can agree how women had very little say, thus it was to be believed men was the dominant sex.
Further, something that was brought to my attention was how the mother fights through the struggles even though she seems to be a ghost of herself, “She has discovered the secret to silence: pouring café without a splash, walking between rooms as if gliding on a cushion of felt, and crying without a sound” (Diaz 1668). An interesting point to point out is how Diaz describes the mother’s emotional stage and how he presents to reader how she is treated. The interesting clue is that the point of view comes from a men’s perspective. The form the mother is treated and how she was left by her husband could happen in any culture however, it is not a surprise in a Latino culture. This leads for the son to mature and to take on the role of the father in which draws the relation on how this can lead to two ways. Young men are always conveyed to be obedient and to be respectful, thus those characteristics help to grow a strong relationship among the family. The lack of not having a father brings challenges and we can clearly see how Diaz support his mother financially, despite the fact that she struggles through the pain of not having a husband “We live alone. My mother has enough for the rent and groceries and I cover the phone bill, sometimes the cable” (Diaz 1668). In addition, despite the fact that the mother is painfully hurt that does not let her
drown, thus she continues to work though her job even though is not an ideal American dream job. It is certainly tough seeing how someone takes care of their money just to pay off bills and does not any left to enjoy for what they worked hard for. Men are certainly a huge absence and their leadership is essential, especially through times like Diaz describes it. Further, focusing on how this family arrived to a poor neighborhood and had a job that is not what they dreamed as they emigrated. Not having a father present can be a justification for all the struggles thus, having two incomes and having a firm voice in a house diminishes the financial, behavior, and emotional struggles. In the story it was noticeable how Diaz does not celebrate the success stories, thus the story has a stronger focus on the struggles of living in a different culture. Diaz focused on how families struggle as they emigrate, do not have a father, and mother fights as hard as she can to make sure that end needs are met can affect the future focus of a young men. Although, the story states all the truculent times the family went through, we can agree that the hard times were for a meaningful purpose. Though, the poverty and the moments of desperation could have been less struggling by being supported by a men. We can agree that this is not only a motivation for other individuals but as well for families that are facing the same issue.
The beginning of the narrative immediately talks about the absence of the father throughout the weekdays for a long durations. It states “The daylight absence of the men, the fathers, imbued the suburbs with the suspense of desertion.” (Tallent 152) The sentiment expressed in this statement is one that is not so apparent on TV of fathers being gone all day and the mother staying home and taking care of the house. The media only portrays scenes of when families are together which in turn causes both young and old individuals such as Soto to begin to question their family life when in reality there may be nothing wrong with said family but just a misleading images of the
Rather, it criticizes this culture through its portrayal of women. The narrative is focused on a male and is told by a male, which reflects the male-centered society it is set in. However, when we compare how the narrator views these women to who they really are, the discrepancies act as a critique on the Dominican culture. Yunior, who represents the typical Dominican male, sees women as objects, conquests, when in fact their actions show their resistance to be categorized as such. Beli, whose childhood was filled with male domination by Trujillo and the family she worked for, attempts to gain power through sexuality, the avenue the culture pushes women toward. This backfires, creating a critique of the limited opportunities available for women. La Inca portrays a different side to this, working quietly but in ways that are not socially acceptable through self-employment. Society attempts to cage these women, but they continue to fight against it. Diaz, in an interview, quoted James Baldwin, stating, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced" (Fassler). He exhibits the misogyny in the system but does not support it, rather critiques it through strong female characters. By drawing attention to the problem, the novel advocates for change. Diaz writes, at the end of part 1, “Nothing more exhilarating… than saving yourself by the simple act of waking”
Demetria Martínez’s Mother Tongue is divided into five sections and an epilogue. The first three parts of the text present Mary/ María’s, the narrator, recollection of the time when she was nineteen and met José Luis, a refuge from El Salvador, for the first time. The forth and fifth parts, chronologically, go back to her tragic experience when she was seven years old and then her trip to El Salvador with her son, the fruit of her romance with José Luis, twenty years after she met José Luis. And finally the epilogue consists a letter from José Luis to Mary/ María after her trip to El Salvador. The essay traces the development of Mother Tongue’s principal protagonists, María/ Mary. With a close reading of the text, I argue how the forth chapter, namely the domestic abuse scene, functions as a pivotal point in the Mother Tongue as it helps her to define herself.
Through the lives of different characters the author tells about struggles and sacrifices that any emigrants have to face when they come to a new country and try to get on their feet. The first generation usually gains the least, because older people already have deeply rooted cultural traditions and language barrier that do not let them to assimilate and to feel fully at home in the new place. Just like Sarah's parents in "Bread Givers" the majority of first generation older emigrants that I know feel somewhat alienated and disadvantaged in America. Many of them were naïve and thought that America was a Golden Amadina where "money grows on the trees". Many were intelligent enough to realize that they were going to a tough land of opportunities where they would have to fight and struggle for a spot under the sun. But those who were realistic came here anyway, because they hoped for a better future for their children who could fully benefit from new opportunities, ethnic equality, and democracy that the New World had to offer.
This Mexican family is unique in that Rosario was a single mother. The culture of the Mexicans was very family oriented, and it was not common to have single parents among their culture during this time. According to Taylor the population of female headed household has steadily increased in the last decade but less appropriate in the Hispanic population (Taylor, p. 93). Her mother, apparently very ill too...
"Immigrants and the American Dream." Society 33.n1 (Nov-Dec 1995):3(3). Expanded Academic ASAP. Thomson Gale University. 26 Sep. 2006.
In Drown, the central conflict of the story is how the protagonist lacks a father and how it leads to his future. The protagonist comes from a Latino background and his father has left him and the mother and now lives in Florida and isn’t around often to help them out. The protagonists father leaves them but constantly calls back when in need, “ He’s in Florida now, a sad guy who calls her and begs for money…. these are lies, I’ve told her.” (Diaz 510). The father left them and constantly calls for money and to charm the mother to give it to him. This passage shows that the father is weak and left them and has affected the protagonist greatly. The protagonist is often seen breaking into the local pool and stealing things from the mall, and
Clemencia relationship with her mom and the way it builds keep the story moving. Clemencia’s mom view of saying “Never Marry a Mexican” and her relationship with Clemencia’s father bring her where she is now. Clemencia tells that her mother was unfaithful to his dad even when he was sick, which see can’t forgive her “ who she saw even while my father was sick” (182). She also tells that she didn’t get enough attention after her mom is married to the white guy. “ Not with that man she married. After Daddy died, it was like we didn’t matter.” “Like if I never had a mother” (182). Clemencia’s feeling of lack of love and affection from her childhood can be clearly stated in her writings. Clemencia thinks as if she has no home to accommodate her as she carries her painful memories of her childhood to her adulthood. Likewise, Frank was unable to tackle a part of his genuine freedom at an early age as a result of traumatic occasion he saw his father killing a man. The failure to control components of the traumatic occasion or the intrusive considerations that take after prompts an arrangement of unsurprising, mental and physiological reactions to children. As the traumatic events trigger again and again on children, they tend to re-experience pain, anxiety and fear. Parents need to play an important role and should distinguish between what to say and what not in front of children. Parents’ should not ignore children, as they are very sensitive to what they see, keep them through their
The American Dream has always been rooted in the idea that no matter what circumstances a person is born into, that person can rise to the top with hard work and seized opportunity. This dream--the underlying belief of American exceptionalism--is the reason millions of immigrants have come to the U.S. over the years. In 1932, Aldous Huxley, a Briton, published a book that flew directly in the face of that great American ideal. In Huxley's Brave New World, citizens are pre-destined before birth to a certain socio-economic group and conditioned during early life into accepting that status. While that idea horrifies its American readers, their expectations for their own socio-economic mobility are steadily drifting away from the realities of life in the U.S, and the consequences for this shift could be severe. Americans believe they live in an upwardly mobile society that is the opposite of Brave New World's predestined existence, but perhaps that opposite is, in reality, a mirror image.
The idea that this country offers so much opportunity that can be obtained by anyone provides people with the ability to dream their own dreams. The American Dream can be a motivational fire, but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, one must focus on building a balanced life for themselves, participate in honest work and practice their craft to have marketable skills are just stick out from the competition. People work their whole lives making money so they can satisfy their desires. The idea of being able to purchase the items people always dreamed of is an achievement in itself. Having a great family owning a home and having beautiful things to fill it with is a common dream amongst people. Many people take pride in what they possess. People want to own nice homes, nice cars, and nice clothes. Some need to look successful in order to feel successful. These people feel successful when they can admire what their hard work has given them and when they can see they build something their kids can also benefit from.
Throughout American history and even till now, people are able to overcome the numerous obstacles that life has thrown at them. Americans have gone to great extents to achieve many important accomplishments. These accomplishments have helped to shape the country. People move to American to achieve the American Dream. What exactly is the American Dream? It is the idea of having opportunities to succeed and own property, lead a satisfactory life with a healthy family, and freedom. However, in “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes and A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, the American Dream is not as easily achieved for the main characters as compared to the whites in that area. During
Carlos wants to be a man,but Mama tells him “Not Yet”.Carlos has to be responsible, respectful, and most important Carlos has to helpful, so Carlos can be a man and protect his village.Carlos is trying to protect his village from the army.Mama tells Carlos to go to his Abuela’s house,during his journey,Carlos has to make decisions so he can defeat the government/army.
The American Dream can obliterate any prospect of satisfaction and does not show its own unfeasibility. The American dream is combine and intensely implanted in every structure of American life. During the previous years, a very significant number of immigrants had crossed the frontier of the United States of America to hunt the most useful thing in life, the dream, which every American human being thinks about the American dream. Many of those immigrants sacrificed their employments, their associations and connections, their educational levels, and their languages at their homelands to start their new life in America and prosper in reaching their dream.
In the late nineteenth century, an increasingly flow of immigrants from many parts of the world made their way to America searching for a dream that gave birth to term “American Dream” still alive today. Driven by economic and financial hardships, persecutions, and great social and political turmoil of the nineteenth century, millions of people and families left their homelands and embarked on the difficult journey to the United States of America.
This essay will discuss Almodóvar’s portrayal of motherhood in the films of ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto? (1984), Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1987) and Carne trémula (1997). Also, this essay will answer the question, are ‘bad mothers’ treated more positively than ‘absent fathers’? Pedro Almodóvar has a unique way to portray certain subjects in his films, as Brad Epps and Despina Kakoudaki describe him, “Pedro Almodóvar is something of a paradox, scintillatingly so. Celebrated and denigrated by critics as serious and superficial, political and apolitical, moral and immoral, feminist and misogynist, experimental and sentimental, universal and provincial” (2009:1). One of the main subjects he portrays in his movies is family