In the story “Sixty-Nine Cents”, Gary Shteyngart reflects back on his life as a young immigrant. When he finally turned fourteen, Shteyngart lost his Russian accent. With his new-found self, the author speaks of his hopes. Although, with the lack of his family’s money, those dreams would most likely not come true. He reminisces about his desire to go to Florida, get himself a girl, and eat meals often at McDonald’s. The author connects the idea of how parents’ lives can also influence their children’s lives. Shteyngart starts off by telling about his parents’ views of eating in restaurants or buying clothes unnecessarily. They viewed it as something only for the rich. In contrast, his parents could not object the journey to Florida. Another
