Theme Of My Family's Slave

Improved Essays
In “My Family’s Slave,” Tizon uses repetition of events and moments to display his love and care to Lola, unlike his mother and father to reduce the guilt he feels towards Lola’s treatment in his house. The first time in his life that Tizon stands up for Lola was when he was 13 years old. His father was angry at Lola because Tizon’s younger sister, Ling, did not eat dinner. His father thought that it was Lola’s fault that Ling did not eat and he ended up punching her on her face. He describes, “‘Ling said she wasn’t hungry,” I said again, almost in a whisper. I was 13. It was my first attempt to stick up for a woman who spent her days watching over me,’” (pg. 4.) Tizon wants the audience to understand that he stood up for Lola against his …show more content…
Slaves do not own anything of their own and telling the audience that he gave Lola an atm card shows that he acknowledges that she is not a slave and never will be. Lola will have something in her possession that is hers and not anyone …show more content…
As the story goes forward, Tizon has Lola move in with him, he says, “we gave Lola a bedroom and license to do whatever she wanted…” (pg. 8.) Tizon once again wants the audience to know that he is letting and wants Lola to be free to do whatever she would like. This contrasts with his parents, because his parents treated her like a slave and now he is doing the complete opposite. Tizon uses these events and moments to establish an understanding with the audience that he is not cruel and immoral to keep Lola like a slave like his parents did and through this technique he may be able to ease the guilt that he holds inside.

Tizon uses forms of contrast between Lola and his mother and father in “My Family’s Slave,” to give more importance to Lola and in doing so reducing his guilt and remorse for Lola’s treatment in their household. Throughout Tizon’s essay, he differentiates his style of wording with Lola compared to his style of wording with his mother and father. Tizon puts his full focus and attention on Lola and gives small details of his mother and father along the

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