When people of different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds are living together, they tend to see themselves as a representation of a larger society. ‘The Book of Unknown Americans’ tells a story about people coming from different countries to the United States. Every character moved to the United States for a different reason: some moved because of better education and healthcare system, and some for a safe environment and lots of different opportunities. Throughout the book, each character experiences their own hardship, and some overcome them, while others time they struggled. The novel strongest characters the author introduced were Alma Rivera, her husband Arturo Rivera, and their daughter Maribel. They had a good life in México and had their own business, however, they decided to move to the United States. The main reason Alma and Arturo moved to America is to have their daughter Maribel placed in a school called Evers, where she can learn, overcome the damage, and just for their family can have a better life. Maribel had an incident that caused damage to her brain while she was at the workplace where Arturo was working. While reading about each character in the book, it seems every character is struggling to survive in the new environment, some similar crises, as well as in the real world we faced. It reminds me of the story of my past and the struggles of my beginning days in the United States. The book tells many difficulties immigrants face, and that’s also happening a lot even now. Reading this novel will encourage people to learn and understand the struggles of immigrants very well instead of believing the fake news and making stereotypical opinions.
There were tremendous other challenges, but, in the book, the author mentioned most difficult challenge the Rivera family faced was a language barrier. Alma is the strongest character in this book, and she cannot speak English. There first day at the gas station Arturo struggles to communicate with the gas station cashier, he simply hands over a twenty-dollar bill, the cashier continues asking Arturo for something, but neither he nor Alma understands, another customer in the store is to stare: “English was such a dense tight language, so many hard letters like miniature walls. Not open with vowels the way Spanish was. Our throats open, our mouths open, our hearts open. In English, the sound was closed. They thudded to the floor. And yet, there was something magnificent about it. There was no used, not tu. There was only one word – you. It applied to all people. Everyone equal (Chapter 7). They even cannot read a single letter. While I was reading this book, it reminds me of my beginning days in the United States. It seems language is not a big deal, but the truth is yes. I have seen in the real world how people get frustrated when they cannot speak the language and understand the society in which they live. Also, they struggle to get jobs they want where they can fill full their need. In the real world, immigrants think they get discriminated against because of their culture, or skin color, but the reality, people from other cultures enjoy talking to them, they like to have people from different cultures work with them because they can bring some strong skills. There are two examples in the book. First, Arturo works at the mushroom farm, as well as Rafael, they both have lots of experience working, so why they do not get the position they deserve? In my understanding, in the book, the main characters struggle with communicating, which consciences other problems. For example, Alma while coming back from English class lost because cannot read the route sign and communicate with the bus driver. Also, when Mayor took Maribel to the beach from the Evers School, Alma was called to the reception, but she didn’t understand. These situations could be different if the character in the book moved to the United States and could speak English also in the real world.
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The novel also tells a story about the traditions of immigrants and how they want to keep them. The women in the novel face different challenges than the men do in their countries. There are strict gender roles. The author introduced another family, they were from Panama. Rafael Toro firmly believes a woman’s place is home and men should financially provide for their family. His wife, Celia Toro, is acutely aware of her family’s dire financial situation, she wants to get a job, but Rafael does not let her work; she does not conflict with him because of the culture. They have two sons: Mayor Toro, a young teenager who seems to have a hard time in fitting with some people, and an older son, Enrique Toro, who attends university on a soccer scholarship. The Toro family lives in the same apartment building where the Rivera family lives. Celia Toro becomes friends with Alma Rivera, while Alma was shopping at the Dollar Tree, Mayor and Maribel were also there. However, some character rejects their culture as they try to adopt some new habits. Celia’s older son Enrique clarifies very well when he comes back from college for Christmas, he feels very depressed being at home. His younger brother Mayor also goes against his parents’ wish, he quit the soccer game, falls in love with Maribel, and kisses her in his dad’s car. But the women keep their culture. When Alma was informed about Mayor kissing her daughter, Alma banned Mayor to meet her daughter.
In this novel, also occur violence and racism. The Rivera family and the Toro family feel like they have been discriminated against. Celia feels everywhere they go, they’re being judged. Even when they go out for pizza, she feels like people are watching them. This is not always true, but they are discriminated against, for example, when Garrett harasses Marble, later Alma went to the police, but they did not help her at all. Author this point relates to the real world, there are many stories and article that tells police were not helpful because of their language issues and maybe skin color, the police jugged them differently. There are many instances I had seen or heard when people say they come from another country, it automatically accepts they have rough lives that’s why they are here. I was not expecting the book Alma’s husband Arturo to get killed by Garrett’s dad while he was looking for his daughter at Garrett’s house. This emphasizes that even in the developed and tight security of the country, still innocent people lose their life for no reason.
In conclusion, the book tells exactly the real experience of the immigrants, that moving to another country with hope and dream is not easy, there are many challenges that immigrants face, mostly cultural differences, racism, and a language barrier. Also mentioned many benefits that are helpful, which are education and health care. It will be very easy to understand the other’s perspective after reading ‘The Book of Unknown Americans’.
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