ENG 1101
Ho Yan, Lam
September 5, 2015

New York Was Our City on the Hill

1. Life was extremely hard in America for Danticat’s parents at first because his dad had to work two “minimum-wage jobs to support two households in two countries” (74) and her mom also to work in a textile factory. They worked more hours than anyone, for less money, and for fewer benefits.
2. The Faustian bargain is the concept of Danticat’s parents giving up everything to provide the best for them. I think it was a fair offer because the parents moved to New York in hope of a better future for the kids. They would’ve stayed in Haiti and be sure there would be no future for them. However, they were willing to risk everything they’ve ever had back in Haiti for an imaginative future in New York. Although the children might have to take in the burden of working since a young age and helping around by working summer jobs, anything would’ve been better than staying in Haiti and not seeing a future.
3. Uncle Joseph’s view on America was that the future for the poor was not a given. There will be no guarantee that they’ll have a better future there because even if their parents work hard, a better future was something “to be clawed from the edge of despair with sweat and blood,” (74). However, the kids saw living in New York was a dream, their “city on the hill,” (74). If was a fantasy that was close to impossible of being achieved. They were young and too naïve to see the reality behind their fantasy.
4. First lesson Danticat learns about life in New York was that the poor were “likely to be working more hours than anyone else, for less money, and with few if any benefits,” (74).I think this lesson is extremely commonly shared between immigrants because although America is known to be one of the most diverse cities, there will always be unfair fields in the world. Places will always take advantage of the fact that many immigrants are not fluent in English and offer them less than what they’re suppose to earn upon taking a job. They’ll take advantage that new immigrants will do anything to support their family; even if it’s to work ridiculously long hours for little pay.
5. “It is the burden of each generation to embrace or reject the dreams set out by those who came before.” What children own their parents all depends on how much the child values their family. Some might think they don’t owe anything to their parents because they might have a mindset that they were forced immigrant. Others might want to return and favors and relieve any burden their parents might have as a way of showing appreciation. However, I think the most basic thing a child owes to their parents is taking care of them when their parents can no longer work due to old age. Their parent’s dreams are to have a better life for their kids and they work all the time to achieve it. When their kids begin to take care of them, they’ll know by then that their kids have matured and grew up to be happy and thankful people.
6. An immigrant is someone who believes they left everything in one country and starting all over again in another. A transnational is someone who thinks they have rights in both countries and have a living quarter in two countries. Danticat’s parents ultimately identified themselves as immigrants because they considered Brooklyn their family and not Haiti anymore. They didn’t want to live away from their friends and community in Brooklyn.
7. After 9/11, Danticat’s father had to worry about terrorism, “both becoming a victim and being blamed for it,” (76). This treatment of him occurred all due to his appearance and race.
8. Uncle Joseph’s death connects to the beginning of the essay because as someone who’s poor, his future was not guaranteed. He died from fleeing gang violence and under United States custody. U.S doesn’t always secure one’s safety and freedom.
9. Past tense was used in the title of the essay because after experience life in New York first hand, Danticat no longer believe in the fantasies of America she had when she was younger. It’s no longer “walking the penny-gilded streets and buying all the candies,” (74) they hope for. It’s more like working her first summer job at the age of 14 and not having much left after paying bills and buying a week of groceries.