Book Post Numero Dos

The second section of the book was much more riveting than the first section.


      In A Regular Revolution, there were a lot of family conflicts. The four sisters were exposed to casual attitudes toward sex and drugs in the United States, which evidently did not go down well with their parents. The girls roam around freely and aimlessly as the parents try to find a balance between American culture and original culture, so that the family roots can be maintained , supported, and celebrated. Unfortunately, the girls disappoint their parents (the mother mostly) because they do not behave as good as she believes Dominican girls ought to. This confirms her fear that they have lost their connection to the culture, and that she has failed in her effort to instill in them the values they grew up with.


      In Daughter of Invention, the mother is trying to blend in with America like her daughters do. She attempts to invent useful and profitable gadgets to reflect her desire to find a place for herself within stereotypical America. Her role as a mother is different from when she was in the Dominican Republic, and now she wants to create a new identity. She supports Yolanda through her struggles at school with the satisfaction that with many trials and tribulations, she is now the best American mother she can be to her kids.


      In Trespass, Carla is terrified and humiliated by men in America. She is ridiculed by younger men for her accent and inability to speak or comprehend english. Carla longs for the familiar and comfortable home she left behind in the Dominican Republic, as any girl her age might after moving a long distance. She encounters a pervert, and though she was able to explain the situation to her mother, she had much difficulty explaining to the police. They did not have enough information from her to find a man, and Carla felt unprotected and humiliated. 


      In the last two vignettes of the section, Snow and Floor Show, Yolanda's vocabulary grows and better prepares her to interact with American culture, whereas a family outing turns out to be an enormous embarrassment for all involved with the family, despite them all being on their best behavior.