“Finding One’s Self in Times of Trouble”: An explication of the Helena Maria Viramontes’ novel Under the Feet of Jesus. Helena Maria Viramontes’ Under the Feet of Jesus portrays the maturing of Estrella‚ a young Latina that seems to awaken in many different aspects of her life. The author’s use of Estrella give the book its strength and potency. Estrella is an affectionate character‚ which is at the center of all the important issues. She is used a symbol to represent the small amount of strength
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Throughout Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Viramontes‚ the struggles of Estrella and her family have a sobering effect‚ demonstrating the hardships that migrant workers endure. Near the end of the novel‚ when Alejo was takin to the clinic and tended to by a nurse‚ Estrella has an epiphany‚ a defining moment. “Estrella had figured it out: the nurse owed them as much as they owed her." This revelation is in my opinion one of the most important aspects of the book. In modern day America‚ most of
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The Dark Consequences of Ripe Peaches In Under the Feet of Jesus Viramontes plays with the heartstrings of those who read the story. It explores deeply the subjective and symbolic violence of the exploitation and destruction of migrant workers. The beautiful prose fantasizes the horrid conditions and everyday struggles that plague the family. With one misstep they are crushed beneath the societal system that is meant to even out the playing field. They are set up to fail. The focus is not truly
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In the novel‚ Under The Feet of Jesus‚ by Helena Maria Viramontes‚ the author conveys the harshness of being a migrant worker and how easily one can become stuck in the same job for their whole life. Viramontes‚ uses the main character‚ Estrella‚ a 13 year old migrant worker to display how this long-lasting cycle and precedent can be broken. Estrella is anything but a stereotypical young girl who has big dreams and plays with friends‚ instead‚ everyday she goes out into the fields and works extremely
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Shaquille Martin (Under the feet of Jesus) Helena Maria Viramontes’ Under the Feet of Jesus shows the maturing of Estella is a young Latina that seems to blend in many different phases of her life. The author‚ Helen uses Estrella give the book its quality and energy. Estella is a friendly character‚ who is used to symbolize the small amount of strength that waits at a person’s weakest point. Throughout the entire novel‚ Estrella serves as the tough base for the family and through the setting
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According to Viramontes‚ the unique challenges by Latina females is caused greatly by their ethnic background. Often women are oppressed by society‚ but when the issue is of color these challenges are harder to avoid. This does not only occur in this novel‚ but exists today in the real world. Many Latina females are often discriminated and harassed by societal influences‚ which makes them feel forced into specific roles. As seen in Under the Feet of Jesus‚ Estrella is a victim of these ongoing challenges
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Gone: Analysis of Central Idea in Helena Maria Viramontes’ “The Moths” PAPER#1(CENTRAL IDEA) The short story “The Moths” by Helena Maria ViraMontes is the story of a Latina granddaughter reminiscing about her relationships between herself and family‚ most specifically with her grandmother‚ when the narrator was a teenage girl. The narrator speaks about the indifference she felt among her sisters because she feels she was not pretty enough and could not “do the girl things they
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neglect of her education is distinctively illustrated throughout Under The Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes‚ nonetheless the more concealed theme is noticed by the more attentive reader is the conflicted nature that’s present within the setting in regards to immigration in the United States. These intricate messages are displayed using literary devices such as the use of symbolism‚ metaphors and similes alongside character progression to construct an atmosphere in the novel that relays not
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Stories‚ Helena Maria Viramontes writes the life’s struggles of what Latinas in Los Angeles‚ and maybe around the world‚ may have to experience through the different Latina characters in the novel. Each chapter represents a different experience these Latinas may face as they become adolescents and enter adulthood. The characters in the novel cover different aspects of a Latina’s life as they experience abortion‚ religion‚ family culture and even death. These experiences are told by Viramontes‚ who herself
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Theme Development in “The Moths” by Helena Maria Viramontes When one is internally consumed by resentment‚ they become isolated and it takes an extreme event such as a great loss to regain inner peace. A young teen in the story “The Moths” is the outcast in her family. She isn’t girly or dainty like the rest of her sisters. The narrator almost always feels alone‚ even at church. The only person that can make her feel safe is her grandmother. At first the young teen represents immaturity. Hitting
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