Enrique's Journey: Family

By Ally Dunlap -
In the prologue and chapters one and two, I think that family and family decisions are a large aspect of this book and Enrique's life. Lourdes' decision to leave is something that we discussed in class, and I think it is a very difficult subject because everyone may have different opinions on if Lourdes leaving is for the best. I think that she had the best intentions because she wants a better life for her son. This is why the choices families make are so important. Each family is different, and in Lourdes' situation, she had to do what was best even though it was going to be difficult. Nazario writes, "Lourdes knows. She understands, as only a mother can, the terror she is about to inflict, the ache Enrique will feel, and finally the emptiness" (3). Lourdes more than anyone knows all of the feelings Enrique will feel, but she also knows this journey is a chance for a better life for her son.
I think this topic and this story is so important because as future educators, we may have students of all kinds that somehow relate to this story. It is important to have empathy and see all of the sides in a situation like this. This kind of emotional turmoil can effect an adolescent especially in school. After doing some research, I found a link to a list of reading practice and writing ideas on Enrique's Journey. I think that finding lessons like this will allow students to better understand the topics at hand in the novel especially when it comes to things like family and the decisions that a family must make.
Another important thing to remember is how just like Enrique's life and family, this can cause an adolescent to question many things. They also may not always understand why their parents made certain decisions. This is another reason as to why Enrique's journey is so important. Stories connect people and allow them to see new things. I think this would be a very important book to include in a middle level or high school classroom.

Comments

  1. Carter McGillNovember 25, 2019 at 3:56 PM

    Ally,
    I agree that family is such a huge part in these three parts of the book. I, also, love that you point out that the family struggles Enrique has to deal with can cause many questions and also many insecurities could come with this as well. Great post!

    ReplyDelete

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