Enrique’s Journey experience brings into view the kind of problems one undergoes in the process of attaining their goals in life (Border Film Project 6). This shows that age is not a factor in achieving one’s dreams and therefore determination wins it all. Life can be filled with several obstacles such as being an immigrant but the need to overcome such problems and excel defines the life and experience of Enrique who has to travel as an immigrant to meet his mother, have a relationship with Maria Isabela (Nazario 230).
After, Enrique’s mother Lourdes leaves for the US to look for money so that she can support her child gain education shows the “hardships” that mothers go through to raise their children (Border Film Project 10).
Overcoming obstacles in life is the most traumatic aspects of the story of Enrique’s Journey. Enrique’s mother chooses to do low paying jobs that are often ignored by the citizens of America to make a living that would enable her child get an education. Through these low paying jobs, they improve the country’s economy since the kind of jobs the immigrants do cannot be accepted by the Americans.
I chose this aspect because Enrique had to overcome several challenges and problems on his way to America so that he can reunite with his mother, the life in America itself is not that promising as many would have thought. Therefore the life of an immigrant remains to be seen as one full of struggles.
He had to be beaten and faced many robberies on the way. However, he is thriving to succeed in his journey to reach her mother is the motivational factor in his success to reach the US. Being determined presents some of the themes in this text and, moreover a reflection of the obstacles Enrique undergoes before reuniting with her mother.
Nazario states that, “she had to work long hours to earn the money” (235). The writer here refers to the time Lourdes would work that demonstrates the hard work of an immigrant and their determination.
In addition, the importance of having hope is the key factor in Enrique’s continued desire to reach the US. Clearly, the contribution of the immigrants such as the likes of Enrique and his mother is great for the economy of the country.
Many immigrants have to survive in all means whatever it takes for them to do so. The method of survival reflects their determination to succeed in life through doing the small jobs and in the end improve the economy of the country.
Lack of finance by Lourdes is a show that she cannot be able to take care of her children and clearly that they are living in poverty. Nazario states that “Lourdes cannot afford to feed and educate her children, so she leaves for El Norte” (139), this show that the immigrants can be able to do any jobs, work extra hard which is beneficial to a country in terms of economy improvement.
“Enrique’s Journey” story make people change how they look at the immigrants and need to offer a helping hand because they too are important to the country (Border Film Story). They can help to offload the “burden” of hard labour which most of the citizens do not want. The determination of Lourdes to make her life better shows the immigrants have a lot of problems and can risk their lives “to make ends meet” (Nazario 200).
The discussion question: Do the immigrants help to improve a country’s economy?
Works Cited
Border Film Project. Border Film Project. 2011. Web.
Nazario, Sonia. Enrique’s Journey, New York: Random House, 2007. Print.