The Distance Between Us Analysis

Where there is poverty people are sometimes forced to break from their families in order to have a better life. To successfully escape poverty, there needs to be one or more elements to be in place that a person can take hold of to propel themselves into opportunity and success. This is the case of the immigrant family in Reyna Grande’s “The Distance Between Us.” Poverty, family, and mentors affected Reyna and influenced how she managed her need for education and desire to become a writer. These influences also helped her develop a character of resilience that has helped her overcome her obstacles and continue on with her education. The book is a roadmap for people who find themselves in poverty as the author’s situation early in her life mirrored that of countless people in the third world looking for a way out.

Reyna’s family …show more content…
Her visit made her realize things were the same in her village; people she grew up with were still in poverty. Reyna seeing the reality of the poverty of her hometown made her think that could have been her. In Reyna’s mind, she has agreed with her father that people from Mexico were dying to be in her place. Reyna had realized the opportunity life had given her of being in the land of opportunity and to be able to have an education and improve one’s life. She took what the United states had to offer seriously.
Having a mentor was crucial to Reyna’s escape from her father’s control and helped guide her in her professional development.. Diana, a professor at Pasadena City College, was one of many people that helped shape Reyna’s path to education and became her mentor, She helped Reyna in a time of need. Diana also saw the resilience Reyna had overcoming her hardships. Diana offered Reyna a place to stay and helped Reyna discover her love for Chicano books. With Diana’s help, Reyna was able to eventually transfer to Uc Santa Cruz to pursue her