American Street Response

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     The overwhelming challenges that Fabiola faces in American Street are significant to the discussion of xenophobia, racism, and poverty. Though these challenges can be difficult to read for some, they magnify American racism and xenophobia, which are aspects that are ingrained in our culture and need to be discussed at length. 

     Dealing with the early conflict of Fabiola being ripped away from her mother at the airport, I found myself imagining how I would feel if I were in her situation. There is no way that I could be as strong as Fabiola was during this time, as I would be so scared to be alone in a location that I didn't know anything about. Detroit, especially, as it has a reputation for not being so "friendly".

    My favorite part of the novel is the bit at the end when Papa Legba kills Dray. This is my favorite part because it introduces magical realism, which is a technique that I've learned about recently and is something that I love a lot. The scene where Dray spoke from the underworld surprised me, as I didn't expect this type of scene from the book because it had such a serious tone throughout. 

    This book is good for adolescents to read because it teaches about immigrant struggle, xenophobia, and peer pressure. 

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