Identity is crucial in times of struggle and crisis. As a first generation Korean-American living in the United States, I understand that adversity is omnipresent and inevitable. Throughout my life, I have faced hardships solely due to my race. For example, I constantly experience discrimination on the basketball court and lacrosse field. During my first varsity basketball game, I heard slander in the opponent’s crowd as someone screamed, “You don’t belong in this gym, go back to China!” In that moment, rage and fury overtook me–I wanted to climb the old, wooden bleachers and punch the heckler in the jaw. Moreover, during lacrosse, I constantly get bombarded with “Open your eyes” or get referred to as a “Chink” or “Gook” by opposing players.
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Likewise, Esmeralda’s mother Ramona desperately wishes for a better life for herself and her family. However, she understands that her dream will not be handed to her in a silver platter and that she must work hard everyday to achieve her goals. Thus, Ramona starts to work, leaving early and coming home late. When her neighbors find out, they ridicule her as Emeralda explains, “The women in the neighborhood turned their backs on her when they saw her coming, or, when they talked to her, they scanned the horizon, as if looking at her would infect them with whatever had made her go out and get a job” (Santiago 122). According to her neighbors, Puerto Rican women are supposed to stay home to clean, cook, and watch the children. By breaking this stereotype, Ramona overcomes a roadblock and steps on the right path to accomplishing her goal. The opportunity to immigrate to America appears when Esmeralda’s brother Raymond injures himself on a bike and the possibility of amputation arises. Subsequently, Ramona decides to take her family to New York to find medical care for her son, and ultimately better their lives and hers as well. The family leaves behind everything they have in Puerto Rico–their family, friends, jobs, and culture. They step into a new world with a different civilization and each step they take is onto a path of obscurity. Ramona’s sense of place intertwines with her pursuit of a better life and she finds that in
Likewise, Esmeralda’s mother Ramona desperately wishes for a better life for herself and her family. However, she understands that her dream will not be handed to her in a silver platter and that she must work hard everyday to achieve her goals. Thus, Ramona starts to work, leaving early and coming home late. When her neighbors find out, they ridicule her as Emeralda explains, “The women in the neighborhood turned their backs on her when they saw her coming, or, when they talked to her, they scanned the horizon, as if looking at her would infect them with whatever had made her go out and get a job” (Santiago 122). According to her neighbors, Puerto Rican women are supposed to stay home to clean, cook, and watch the children. By breaking this stereotype, Ramona overcomes a roadblock and steps on the right path to accomplishing her goal. The opportunity to immigrate to America appears when Esmeralda’s brother Raymond injures himself on a bike and the possibility of amputation arises. Subsequently, Ramona decides to take her family to New York to find medical care for her son, and ultimately better their lives and hers as well. The family leaves behind everything they have in Puerto Rico–their family, friends, jobs, and culture. They step into a new world with a different civilization and each step they take is onto a path of obscurity. Ramona’s sense of place intertwines with her pursuit of a better life and she finds that in