Pang Yen Wu
Professor Elizabeth Guthrie
ENG 1101
9/7/15
Questions for essay “New York was Our City on the Hill”
- Why was life so hard in America for Danticat’s parents at first?
The life was hard for Danticat’s parents at first in America because, Dancitat and his younger brother Andre were left in Haiti for eight years long. And through out these years they were contacting each other with letters, voice message on cassette tape and phone calls only. Danticat’s parents they were new immigrants here in New York they were likely to be working more hours than anyone else in this country, for a small amount of money. And with few if can get any benefit from it. Danticat’s father throughout this years working for two minimum wage jobs to be able to support two family over seas.
- Explain the “Faustian bargain” offered to the children. Do you think it was a fair offer?
The Faustian bargain offered to the child is that the parents went to New York find a job at there and working hard try to make the life on both side better. In exchange they leave Danticat and Andre at Haiti for eight years and being separated. I think it is not a fair offer because parents should stay beside there children which are the people you loved. At there young age you should stay beside them developed the strong relationship between you and them. Because at a child’s young age they need someone to take care of them, talk to them express there feeling in the heart to you that’s what the parents job, listen to what your child say. After all no matter what happen and you should overcome the obstacles you face with your whole family.
- How did Uncle Joseph and the children differ In their views of America? What contributes to their respective points of view?
Uncle Joseph views of America future of the poor people is not a given, but you need to work hard for it with your sweat with your blood. For the children view of America they think it is a struggle-free life at New York and the imaginary heaven for it just for right now. For Uncle Joseph had being poor before, the life lesson and the experience of make money was not easy at all contributes to the respective points of view. For the children the innocent, immature , less life experience and the perfect dream to the future place New York contributes to the respective points of view.
4.What is the first lesson that Danticat learns about life in New York? Do you think this lesson is commonly shared by immigrants? Is it fair?
The first lesson that Danticat learns about life in New York is the immigrants they were likely to be working more period of times than other people do, for less money earned, and with few if any benefits. I think this this lesson commonly shared by immigrants because the immigrants when they first time came to America most of them didn’t know English that well, and not used to this new environment , most of them didn’t own a skill that can make more salary to support their family. So all they can do is the job that is required strength or doesn’t need that much of skill. It is the job you put strength in it but get little benefit back from it. I think it is fair because this is how the life is going to be, it’s gonna functioning this way. The more you know ,the more you can gain from it. So we should work hard than any other people , to learn more skills not always keep yourself stay at a low level.
5.Discuss the quote: “it is the burden of each generation to embrace or reject the dreams set out by those came before”. What do children owe their parents when many sacrifices have been made?
“ It is the burden of each generation to embrace or reject the dreams set out by those came before”. This quote means that it’s hard for the kids to reject what the parent want them to be in the future. It’s hard to embrace it too because you usually don’t want someone to restrict you or let you do the thing you not interesting in. The children owe the parents a lot, because they feed you , give you places to live and let you go to school have education tons of things included money and energy spends on you. You can’t estimate how much of it, but after all they just want you to be doing some specific job at the future. But you refuse it, isn’t it not fair to them.
- What is the difference between an immigrant and a “transnational”? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Which label do Danticat’s parents ultimately choose? Why?
The difference between an immigrants and a transnational is immigrants you can only stay at one place for a long period of time and have voting privileges only in one place. But as a transnational you can vote in two place and living quarters in two places. The advantages of being an immigrants is you are being more familiar and comfortable with this new nation and make a lot of network with people in here. The disadvantages is if you want to go back to lives for a long period of time at your homeland you will have trouble with it. The advantages of being a transnational is you can making network with people in both nation and make your life more multicultural and go back to see the homeland more often. The disadvantages of transnational is you will get confused which nationality are you belonging to. The immigrant label is the one Danticat’s parents ultimately choose. Because they realized that with their decade-long friendships and community ties in Brooklyn , they didn’t want to live anywhere else.
7.How does Danticat’s father’s American experience worsen after 9/11? Why do you think this treatment of him occurred?
Danticat’s father’s American experience worsen after 9/11 because he has to worry about terrorism, both becoming a victim and being blamed for it. I think this occurred to him is because at that time the American think that the immigrants probably some of them is touching with the terrist.
8.What is the connection of Uncle Joseph’s death to the beginning of the essay? The connection of Uncle Joseph’s death to the beginning of the essay was back in the days brutal regimes of Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier He died in Miami at age 81 after he fleeing gang violence and death threats in Haiti.
9.Why do you think the past tense is used in the title of the essay?
Because New York used to be Danticat and his brother’s city on the hill, and the imaginary heaven in their head. But after they saw the things here and experience how actually the life in going to be and the money is not that easy to earned. They didn’t feel in the same way , New York is not on the hill for them anymore. So that’s why the title of the essay” New York was Our City on the Hill” is in past tense.
