Domestic Violence In Panchito's The Circuit

As a result of not being able to support his family during certain points within The Circuit, Panchito’s father starts to develop an insecurity about not being able to support his family and he feels less like a man and father. This reminds me of the insecurities and doubts that Anzaldúa (1987) explains in her piece: Moving towards a new consciousness. “For men like my father, being “macho” means being strong enough to protect and support my mother and us. (p. 105). The internal and psychological complex of being a “macho’ can lead to negative behaviors like domestic violence. (Anzaldua, 1987). This is an unfortunate experience that Panchito and his family endure later on in the book as the family’s hardships become more apparent. “The noise struck my father like lightening. He had been in a terrible mood the last few days because he wasn’t sure where we would work now that the grape season was almost over….The shouting, screaming, and crying from our home chased me. I wanted to escape, to die.” (Jimenez, 1997, p. 59).
Institution …show more content…
92). The pressures that surround Panchito in this book are intimidating as well as overwhelming when it came to his educational experience. One of the most challenging experiences for this character is his desire to learn English so he knows how to communicate with his teacher as well as other students, for example: “The following morning, before going to work, Mama and I covered my note pad with waxed paper to keep it clean. I then marked the spelling rules I wanted to memorize that day. As I picked grapes, I went over them in my mind, looking at my notes only when I had to. This made the time go by faster. (Jimenez, 1997, p. 108). In this story, Panchito makes it a priority to establish literacy skills to help him improve his performance in the