Fiesta, 1980

         The story Fiesta, 1980 takes place in Northern New Jersey and the Bronx, New York in 1980. This was during a time of massive growth of immigration. The story demonstrates the major differences between the the american culture and the latin american culture that has moved in. The american culture usually consists of individualistic views, in which all members of society tend to make the majority of their decisions on their own. This is a very different style of living than the Dominican Republic family that moves in during the story. This family shows the genuine structure of most latin american families which consists of a patriarch, who is the central power, that runs the entire family. This comparison of the two cultures grows into the central of the immigrants family being destroyed by the American Dream that they were not prepared for. This theme is shown through the motif of the Lime Green Volkswagen. The Volkswagen is the most direct reference to Yunior's distorted american dream. The car, being something that most immigrants or south americans can't afford, should be a sign of the wealth and prosperity that they received from starting a new life in America; however, it is mainly used with bad connotations throughout the story. Instead of being the prized possession of the family every one resents going in it because it makes Yunior throw up all the time. His father gets furious when ever this occurs and even forbids him from eating before car rides. This destruction of relationship between Yunior and his father is directly caused by the car. Yunior and his father are also not the only people who the car affects negatively, it also makes the mother very nervous, and causes her to fight with the father when ever she accidently gives him food before trips. Throughout the story, Yunior’s father attempts to deny him food, but other members of his family continue to sneak it to him, representing a rift in the family’s relations.  Whereas a typical Dominican family would never think of going against the patriarch, Mami and Tia are both frustrated enough with how their family is turning out to commit minor acts of defiance. Mami and Tia have an interesting relationship throughout the story. One can see that although they are very similar, due to their different families and how Mami has been in America longer, their futures have panned out differently. Mami tends to try to cover up the truth, to make everything better even if it wont last long. In an effort to cure Yunior’s car sickness, Mami gives him a handful of mints.  While not an actual medical treatment, they do serve as a more traditional cure, helping to calm his stomach, if only for a short time.  Additionally, after Yunior does lose control of his stomach, Mami gives him toothpaste to use in an effort to clean himself.  Both of these serve to demonstrate Mami’s efforts to help Yunior, even if they are ultimately ineffective and do not treat the root of the problem. I found it interesting that all of the short stories relate to a general theme of this distorted image of the "American Dream". Although the stories are all very different, they all center on the relationships between different family members. Each of the stories are from different viewpoints, have contrasting plots, and each family has different roots, yet they all come together as one under the stereotypical view American society is today.