Short Summary Of Geographies Of Home By Pèrez

In the novel Geographies of Home, written by Loida Maritza Pérez, there are copious references to New York City and its importance to the plot of the story. Published in 1999, the novel follows a Dominican family in its migration to NYC and the challenges they face. As readers, we see problems involving Lliana, Marina, Rebecca, Papito, and Aurelia. Between rape, violence, and abuse, Pèrez does a great job incorporating Brooklyn into the plot of the story. A lot of the wild stories written about in the novel are more believable considering the reputation Brooklyn had in the 1900’s. Had the plot taken place in any other location, their validity and importance would not remain the same.
It becomes clear that one of the main reasons New York was …show more content…
While the characters may have issues to deal with inside of their family, they are now exposed to a completely different environment in which they have to adjust. This makes the story more interesting because we see them having problems becoming accustomed with American jobs, language, education, and lifestyle. An example of a NYC associated challenge is included in the novel. Pèrez writes, “The man grew unexpectedly still inside her. When she dared image he had finished, he gripped her hips and thrust himself deeper into her womb. Her stomach convulsed with nausea. Her thoughts scattered. Unable to see his face, she detailed it from memory so as to draw courage from her hate” (Pèrez 17). This depicts the horrific rape crime committed against Marina in the story. It is clear that since New York has so many different cultures and accepts all walks of life, there are bound to be a great deal of criminals. Between the take over by gangs and small-time criminals, NYC was crime ridden and experienced thousands of murders each month. The fact that the Dominican family has to deal with personal problems, along with rape and violence makes the story that much more