Relationship Between Reyna And Her Siblings

The American dream not only affected the relationship between Reyna and her parents but also between Reyna and her siblings. Before coming to America Reyna and her siblings had a bond between each other that almost seemed unbreakable. Of course that was put to a test once in America as feeling changed so did the relationship between Reyna and her siblings. For example, it angered Reyna the fact Mago had become so disconnected from her Mexican roots and had Americanized so much. This problem lead them to a fight as Reyna remembers “I was so furious, and before I could stop myself, I pushed her”(282). Having Mago distance herself from her roots and thinking she had become superior then the people of their hometown back in Mexico only angered
These changes in attitude cause many problems in immigrants homes. Mago was not the only sibling with who Reyna had broken apart with it was also with her brother Carlos. Carlos fell in love with a girl named Griselda shortly after graduating he married her against the wishes of Reyna, Mago, and his father. Like his father had predicted “Carlos dropped out of college, found a small apartment for himself and his new wife, and himself two jobs”(273). Being the head of the household meant now that Carlos had to provide for his family as he had a kid with Griselda after they got married. With not that much time available and feelings changed Carlos and Reyna were never able to reconnect in the same way. Reyna’s relationship with her family changed completely once they arrived in
It has been believed that once in America the harder you work the more you’ll achieve. Where everyone it’s treated as equal and everyone has the same chances of succeeding. For example, in the article “Class in America” by Gregory Mantsios, a director at Joseph S. Murphy Institute, mentions “Everyone has an equal chance to succeed. Success in the United States requires no more than hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance” (81). Many people believe that they can become millionaires when they come to America. That anything is possible in the land of the free it just requires hard work and perseverance. However, Mantsios never mentions what you have given up in order to achieve the American Dream. What Reyna lost was the bond she had with her family as she mentions referring her father “ By then, my siblings and I had little communication with him. By then, he’d managed to chase us away”(163). Coming to America signified the destruction of her family as they would separate from each other in a matter of years. Reyna’s family is not the only example of this sad reality as many families come to the U.S. pursuing the American Dream not knowing that their families would eventually break