Declan Cosby Mrs. Boss English III Mar 11, 2024 The Book of Unknown Americans Essay The novel, “The Book of Unknown Americans” won numerous awards for bringing immigration to light. In this novel by Cristina Henquiruez, a significant character, Alma, the mother of Maribel, causes the separation of her family. The author shows this through the literary devices of foreshadowing the antagonist Garrett, the conflict between her and Maribels accident, and her characterization through the novel showing her struggles. First off, the foreshadowing of the antagonist Garrett at the beginning of the novel sets up the main conflict and Almas's constant fixation on him, which causes her to in turn separate her family. The novel says, “And the way he looked at me
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Due to this fear and fixation later in the novel, her first thought constantly turns to the antagonist Garrett. Secondly, due to Maribel’s accident, Alma is constantly fixated on Maribel and is constantly overwhelmed with guilt and cannot forgive herself, which eventually leads to the separation of her family. Throughout the novel, Alma feels a sense of proving she can care for Maribel. First off, the text states, “I was the one holding the ladder. She was our perfect daughter and the next”(245). This sentence demonstrates how Alma burdens herself with the thought that she is the reason their daughter is the way she is. This burden weighs on her and her not being able to forgive herself eventually leads to the separation. Also, the text says, “My misguided idea that somehow by keeping all of this from him, I could prove that I was capable, I could prove that I could take care of our daughter even though I had failed her so terribly before”(243). This displays how Alma can’t forgive herself for this accident and due to her feeling to prove herself to her husband, she doesn’t tell him things that she wants
Due to this fear and fixation later in the novel, her first thought constantly turns to the antagonist Garrett. Secondly, due to Maribel’s accident, Alma is constantly fixated on Maribel and is constantly overwhelmed with guilt and cannot forgive herself, which eventually leads to the separation of her family. Throughout the novel, Alma feels a sense of proving she can care for Maribel. First off, the text states, “I was the one holding the ladder. She was our perfect daughter and the next”(245). This sentence demonstrates how Alma burdens herself with the thought that she is the reason their daughter is the way she is. This burden weighs on her and her not being able to forgive herself eventually leads to the separation. Also, the text says, “My misguided idea that somehow by keeping all of this from him, I could prove that I was capable, I could prove that I could take care of our daughter even though I had failed her so terribly before”(243). This displays how Alma can’t forgive herself for this accident and due to her feeling to prove herself to her husband, she doesn’t tell him things that she wants