Enrique Nazario Sparknotes

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In Central America, some parents leave their children, and set out on a journey to the United States in hopes of making a better life for them. Throughout the years, the children who are left behind eventually go on a journey to be reunited with their family.Once they are reunited with their family, the children assume they can live happily ever after; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. In the United States, some of the children face a lot of negative and positive challenges, and they respond slightly differently. Particularly, in the book by Sonia Nazario titled ​Enrique’s Journey​, author Nazario writes about, a young Honduran boy, named Enrique, who goes on a very long and arduous journey to reach the United States to find his mother. Upon …show more content…

Enrique depends a lot on his mother for money. He decides to move out of his mother’s house, which makes him more financially unstable. Nazario writes, "Enrique is struggling financially. Fed up with the cramped conditions in his mother's apartment and their constant fights, yearning for some scrap of privacy, he has moved out and rented a bedroom in a trailer... Sometimes, when work is slow, Lourdes has to loan him money for his truck payment"(221). Nazario is saying that Enrique is struggling financially, and when work is slow he asks his mother for help. This is significant because it shows that even though Enrique is trying to be more independent he still is dependent on his mother. One of Enrique’s goals is to bring his girlfriend and daughter to the United States, yet he spends a good amount of money on drugs and alcohol. Enrique knows he has to change if he ever wants to see his family again. Nazario writes, “If he doesn't change, he will repeat his mother's mistake; time will slip by, and Jasmin will grow up without him. He must save $50,000 as quickly as possible to buy a house and start a business in Honduras” (218). Nazario is saying that if Enrique doesn’t get his life together, then he will repeat what his mother did, and as a result, he will never see Jasmin. In order for Enrique to go back to Honduras and see his daughter, he must save …show more content…

Since Enrique has crossed into the United States, he has been drinking a lot of alcohol. Enrique realizes he must change and be more responsible for his family. Nazario writes, “ He's tired of going to work after spending all night out drinking. He wants to look better when Maria Isabel comes to the United States. Most important, he has to be more responsible for Jasmin. He can't have her grow up worrying about money as he did. He wants her to study" (218). Nazario is saying that he’s tired of drinking, and wants to look good for his girlfriend, Maria Isabel. He also wants to be more responsible for his daughter, Jasmin. He doesn't want Jasmin to worry about financial issues, and wants her to study. Enrique cuts back on drinking so he can save that money, and be united with his family. Nazario writes, “"In North Carolina, Enrique focuses on working, on saving money, on cutting down even more on drinking and drugs. He'll need $5,000 for a smuggler to bring his girlfriend north"(234). Nazario is saying that Enrique needs $5,000 for a smuggler so Maria Isabel can come to the U.S., so he focuses on working and cutting down on drugs and alcohol. This is significant because it shows how badly Enrique wants to have his family with him. Enrique doesn't want to make the same mistake his mother did, and not go back to Honduras. Enrique wants to see his

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