The essay is written by Junot Diaz, a well-known Dominican writer, who immigrated to New Jersey. In this piece of writing, he tells about his mother’s childhood, and some people may think that it is the only story. However, if one deepens into it, the underlying message can be revealed.
Even though the essay is concentrated on the Diaz’s mother, it also includes the hints of how she, her character and actions influenced the author and his work. The comments written by Diaz can help to understand this, as they include his experience of a troubled situation when he acted just like his mother to get through.
I believe that this very essay will appeal to several types of people. Ones, who prefer to read Diaz’s works, will find it interesting as the writing tells about the other’s family.
Others, people who want to get to know some historical facts, may decide to read this essay, because it will provide them with the information about people from the Third World and the realities of their lives, the Trujillo’s laws, peculiarities of education and employing. The last group of readers is the most preferable for me. It consists of people who are interested in the characters’ nature and the ability to overcome difficulties. They will be amazed by the courage and insistence of the seven-years-old girl.
After reading this essay, the reader should evaluate the information and understand that there are no circumstances a person cannot deal with. There is always a way out. One should not give up if something goes wrong. I think that the most important message of the essay is that to keep trying is the best way to achieve success.
The author says that he wrote this essay to show “how, in his mind, he became a writer” (Kennedy et al. 132). Even though he is not a character of the writing and tells nothing about himself, this information can be perceived.
After reading the essay, I felt extremely proud of the girl, and a bit frustrated as her main dream did not come true. To my mind, I am not able to act like she. I cannot believe that a little girl could be so persevering that she consciously threatened her health “got down on her knees beside a stagnant puddle of water, put her mouth in it and drank deeply” (Kennedy et al. 129).
She was not afraid of being punished and ran to the school to say that she is eager to study, even though her mother beat her severely almost every day and was against her daughter’s education. Moreover, the girl went to the police, and when her mother tried to keep her from attending school, they put her in handcuffs.
As the girl did all these things to become a nurse, and she never did, I feel sorry for her. However, she refused to give up even in the most unmanageable situations. After the emigration, she tried hard to master English, even though her attempts were not crowned with success. Still, I believe that this wish was embodied through her son, as Junot Diaz became a reader and a writer.
The things that I want the reader to see in my perception of the assay under analysis that was not yet mentioned are the love and pride expressed by the author through his words. Of course, persistence and repetitive attempts are the core of the essay, but the feelings the author puts in it underline the value of the writing.
Works Cited
Kennedy, X. J., Dorothy Kennedy, Jane Aaron, Ellen Repetto. The Bedford Reader. 12th ed. 2014. Boston: Bedford/St, Martin’s. Print.