Literature Circles: Post #5

"I felt I was losing my mind, leaving my American self behind," Julia Alvarez. Page 187

This quote relates well back to the question about the hardships that the immigrant had while in America. Julia Alvarez came to America and was adjusting fine, but she’s finally faced the hardship of missing her home country and being tied between being a Latino and being an American. She really struggled with this especially in her mind because she knew that she would always have her original culture in her heart, but it just wasn't enough to hold on to.

I can relate to this quote easily because there are so many times when I wish that I could revert to the original way things were. Ways that made life easier or less stress, but sometimes that feeling takes over and then I feel guilty about going back to the way things used to be done.

What is one specific thing that you wish you could change and make it go back to the way it used to be?

"And so I chose what I knew the significant people in my life, my parents and family, thought was right for me to do," Julia Alvarez. Page 201.

I feel that this is another hardship that Julia faced. One of the adjustments that I think would be the hardest to make is being able to make all the decisions you make by yourself. This would be very hard especially if you are starting a new and better life in a new country. People sometimes get so caught up with what they want to do that they don't actually think about what the right thing is, which is why Julia thought about what was the best choice for Julia to make.

I have a strong connection to this quote because often times I have to think about what the right thing to do is, as opposed to what I want to do. I think about this with even simple things like doing my chores or fulfilling whatever request that my mom asks me to do. I know that I will have to think about these types of things with the situations I will be faced with in the future.

What kind of situation do you think would make you think about what the right thing to do is and what your parents or family would want you to do?