The tone in the last third of Enrique's Journey
is very hopeful. Everything seems to be headed in the right direction.
Although after reaching his mother, feelings are bittersweet, Enrique
gets through the rough patch and begins an upward spiral. "Enrique and
his mother start to call each other two or three times a week to talk.
Enrique has long called his mother senora. Now he says,'Ma.' With each
call he is more loving (235)." Upon arriving in the United States,
Enrique was very cold towards his mother. He accused her of abandonment
and not loving him. However, his love for his mother that he has always
had pulls through, and readers begin to see the hope in their
relationship as it grows steadily better, heading towards a version of
what an ideal mother son relationship is. There is hope also for Maria
Isabel, who Enrique left behind, pregnant, when he headed North to the
United States. She has a beautiful daughter who worships her and longs
to meet her father. Enrique and Maria Isabel both know that the best
thing for their daughter is for Maria Isabel to go to America after
Enrique, raise money, and then bring Jasmin there to be with them.
"Jasmin, left with Enrique's sister, Belky, asks,'Auntie, is my mommy
coming back?' 'No,' Belky answers,' your mommy is with your daddy.'
Jasmin persists. 'And she's not coming back?' Belky tells Jasmin no, but
that her parents hope to have her with them in the United States
someday (262)." Enrique and Maria Isabel both know that the best thing
for them to do is to raise enough money to bring Jasmin to them, and if
they can't within a few years, they will return to her. Both of these
situations are hopeful, because Jasmin will have a better life with both
of her parents.
Enrique's Journey, by
Sonia Nazario was both factual and thrilling, one of the best books
I've read recently. Nazario went further than any other author I've
heard of, digging deep into how Honduran migrants make their way
illegally to the United States. She even rode with these adult and child
migrants as young as seven years old, on the tops of trains. She risked
death by the gangsters who rule these trains, and that was what made
this such a great story. Enrique, Lourdes, Maria Isabel, and all the
rest in the book are real people who have talked about their experiences
with Nazario, which provides the book with a thoughtful and moving
information. Nazario asked each character about their own journeys, and
wrote exactly how everything happened in the book. But what made the
book even better was that not only was it an exciting story about
traveling to the United States. It was also informative, giving
statistics and facts about the areas the migrants travel through, the
gangsters, the law enforcers, and the people who helped them on their
journeys. The quotes and accounts of migrants' experience with police
officers and immigration officers was eye-opening, and revolting.
Overall, from beginning to end, Enrique's Journey is a thrilling read
that I would recommend to anyone.
I also agree that the ending if the book is hopeful. In the beginning of he book, Enrique used his mother as an excuse to act out towards others negatively including his family. This caused his family to abandon all hope in him ever becoming an honest an decent man. Enrique's father was also a contributing factor to Enrique's belief that his mother abandoned him "She is the one who promised to come back" (p.12).
ReplyDeleteFurther evidence that even though Enrique and his mother have experienced some rockiness in their relationship, their is hope for them in the future. After a tense and conflicted Christmas together, Lourdes and Enrique enjoy a much more loving New Years celebration. "This year, she goes to a party with Enrique. At midnight, she kisses her son. Enrique hugs her back, hard. "Happy new Year. I love you," he tells his mother. For the first time in all her years in the United States, Lourdes doesn't cry on New Year's Eve" (pg 204).
ReplyDeletevery well written, yes it does look promising for enriques future when he reaches the Untied States, but you brought up a good point which was when Enrique began to not get along fully with his mother. you would think it would be happy ever after between the two of them, but things do come up which grow apart their relationship slightly. No question they still love eachother dearly, but it is interesting how it can go from missing someone for a decade to being threatened to leave when you are with them. Interesting information in this blog
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your exquisite blog Julia! It is really upsetting reading the book and learning about Enrique. All his life he dreams of being with his long lost mother and throughout his childhood he creates a vision of his mother. This vision is only showing all the great and beautiful and light sides of the reality. Once he finally meets his mother, his dazed reality falters and he is crushed. All the anger and hope that he had gained throughout his adventure pours out of him and was finally released onto his mother. I completely agree on your choice of tone for the last third of the book. It is very hopeful. We feel hopeful for Enrique and for his mother. We want it to all end happily ever after.
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