Not a Happy Ending for All
Grande, R. (2012). The Distance Between Us: A Memoir. New York, NY: Washington Square Press. (pp. 249-322)
Grande, R. (2012). The Distance Between Us: A Memoir. New York, NY: Washington Square Press. (pp. 249-322)
If the climax of this story is Reyna finally reaching the United States in hope of a reunited happy family, these last chapters of falling action cement the reality of Reyna's new family life in the United States. As a young girl, she had the United States to hold in a mythical status. If she could just get there with her siblings and reunite with her father, they could all be a happy family. Unfortunately this never came to fruition for Reyna. Her entire family is in the United States, but the ripple effects of her father's and mother's earlier immigration has left her family forever fragmented. As we find out, Reyna is the only one in her family to graduate from college.
Her sister seems absorbed with her quest to buy happiness. She spends her money on clothes, a car, and of course, aid to Reyna. She ends up moving out and getting pregnant by her boyfriend. Her brother soon marries and starts a family. Her younger sister becomes a teen mother. Perhaps Reyna would also follow in their footsteps, but a trip back to Mexico refocuses her dreams. After living in the United States for ten years, going back to Mexico was a strange experience for Reyna's sister and her, but for different reasons. Reyna's sister is disgusted with the house they grew up in. She scoffs at the small, poverty stricken neighborhood and wants to leave as soon as she gets there. Reyna on the other hand, sees what life would be like if she stayed. She sees her grandmother still struggling. She remembers she once dreamed of being a secretary and how silly and little those dreams seemed after living in the United States.
Reyna's story is one of many immigrants, especially the children of illegal immigrants where one parent and other siblings are often still living in Mexico. This broken home has a host of consequences on a child growing up. That, in addition to under funded ELL programs, under funded inner city schools, and rampant poverty in immigrant communities are all working together to challenge an immigrant student's ability to succeed. Of course, I can see some people blame the parents for putting their children in this situation. However I would say...what was the alternative? Should they have allowed their children to fill up with worms in a country where there is such little opportunity to make money that they have trouble housing/feeding their family? Reyna's ability to graduate college is astounding. By contrast, when I was growing up there was never a question if I was going to college. It was the next thing to do after high school. This just helps put into perspective how rare equity is amongst people from different backgrounds. I can't help but keep thinking about opinions of immigrants I read on social media. There are so many people that are scared to death of people like Reyna making their way to the United States right now. They label them lazy or criminal. I think if these same people who harbor a fear and distrust of immigrants learned about them, they would change their minds. If they learned why they are coming to the United States, what their living conditions were like in their home countries, and the personal stories of immigrants (specifically, I'm thinking of the "caravan") they would no longer see these immigrants as faceless criminals hell bent on harming people once they get to the United States. They could see the "caravan" as people. Maybe, they could see their own immigrant history in them.
I would rate this book as a 4.5/5
I really enjoyed Reyna's writing and the unique perspective she offers. As I mentioned before, hers is an important story and there are so many others that have a similar story to share. Although it is difficult to read because it truly is a depressing story, it forces the reader to empathize in ways they might not have before.
Hi Zoe,
ReplyDeleteYour reviews make me want to read this book. The experiences of Reyna are obviously very relevant to the current political climate in the United States. Just today, tear gas is being throw on the migrants wishing to enter our country for a better life. Seeing the photos of mothers and children running from the fumes makes me think of this book and the struggles that immigrants face as they try to make new lives for themselves. I think it's important for us all to see the experiences of immigrants like Reyna, rather that be in the form of a memoir, a documentary, or even a Twitter moment, because immigrants are an important part of our country and the world we live in. As teachers, we'll have students of all backgrounds and it is important for us to give them an equitable education. By knowing and understanding the perspectives of our students, we are better able to empathize with them and to give them what they need to succeed. If we all worked to become informed on the experiences of each other and to empathize with those experiences, I think we would benefit greatly.
Zoe,
ReplyDeleteI loved your attention to the details of this book. I think you did an excellent job describing this book with your blogs. I think they way that you captured Reyna's thoughts and opinions about her family and situations really captured the essence of this memoir. So many people are trying to seek out freedom in America and for some, they will never make it. There are rules and regulations to crossing a counrty's borders and sadly, some immigrants neglect to follow the rules. Sometimes the U.S. is faced with hard decisions about what to do with so many immigrants wanting to immigrate from all over the world. How does the U.S. know who to let in and who not to let in? These are hard decisions that no one can be perfect on. As a society, we have to trust that people are people and not numbers or percentages. We as Americans have the right to freedoms that other countries do not have. We sometimes take this for granted. Thank you for an awesome blog!