In Lucy Jamaica Kincaid, the way Lucy describe her first impressions of her arrival in the United States is very descriptive. When she arrived in the United States it was the middle of January and it was a cold gray black night. As she was driving to her destination someone would point out famous land marks to her. Lucy said that before arriving here that when she thought of those places they made her happy and would always bring her out of sadness. However Lucy says that once she see the places they look ordinary, dirty and worn down from so many people. Lucy also said that this was not her first bout with disappointment of reality and it wouldn't be her last. When arriving at her destination Lucy rides and elevator for the first in her life. Lucy also compares her home in Jamaica to her home in the United States, in Jamaica she lives in a house were as now in the United States she is staying in an apartment. Also she realized that in Jamaica she didn’t have a refrigerator and now she was sitting at a table eating left over food from the day before that just came out of the refrigerator. Lucy said that everything she was experiencing was such a good idea that she could imagine she would grow used to and even like it. She says when she fell asleep it was not because she comfortable but because she couldn’t handle to take anything else in. The next day when Lucy got dressed to leave the apartment she realized she was not in the tropical climate anymore because she thought just because the sun was shining that it was warm outside and she hard a rude awaking when it was very cold outside.
I would describe Lucy's first impressions of the United States depressing however rather normal feeling of an immigrant. Most immigrant stories that I have heard were greatly like Lucy's story. Before arriving here most immigrants imagine the United States as this great land of freedom and riches, however when they arrive here they are overcome with reality that the United States is just another place that you have to work hard for what you want in life and being that they are immigrant they have to work ever harder.
Good overview - do you think this is a dissapointment she would feel anywhere? Is there anything specific to the U.S. that you think she's describing?
ReplyDeleteI think she would this way anywhere she. however being that most immigrants expect only the best from the U.S. i think her disappiontment of the U.S. is a greater sadness.
ReplyDeletei like the way you think ! that is so true what you say about how immigrants have to work even harder when they come too the states =) lucy's story could help other's dont you think ?!
ReplyDeleteI liked your response to the reading, I agree with you when you say Lucy is the classic immigrant story and when I read it I had the same thoughts.
ReplyDelete"Lucy also said that this was not her first bout with disappointment of reality and it wouldn't be her last." <-- I see that line as a sense of foreshadow. I think that was one of the best thing you pointed out in your post.
ReplyDeleteNicole I do think that Lucy's story could help alot of immigrants and they should read it before they come so that the way they are feeling wont be such a surprise to them when they arrive in the U.S
ReplyDeleteThats funny- the stories I've read were the opposite. But yes I do agree, in this country you have to work hard for what you want, but unlike other countries there are more opportunities. Coming from a family of immigrants, they knew that coming here was going to be hard, they knew that they were leaving a life of wealth that they had in Honduras, that life in the US was going to be a struggle, but they felt that it was worth it for the freedom and safelty that was afforded them here in the states. At times I'm sure they felt like Lucy- utterly depressed because working hard is hard enough but being an alien makes it worse. Great job- love the blog colors!
ReplyDelete