Quotation Response Essay

Thematic Quote:

Mami wasn’t a hitter, she preferred having me kneel on pebbles with my face against a wall. On the afternoon that the letter arrived, she caught me trying to stab our mango tree with Abuelo’s machete. Back to the corner.

Junot Diaz theme is different from any of the writers we have read. I enjoyed reading about his families culture, their food, and the relationships he has with his family. It is so personal that I feel like I know each one of his family members and can relate it to my
own family. The way he describes his experiences makes it so easy to relate to and leaves   types of food his family would prepare, his father, and his time on the beach. His theme is very personal and real.


Stylistic Quote:

That Sunday Mami gathered us on the back patio. We’re taking the day off, she announced. A day for us as a family. We don’t need a day off, I said and Rafa hit me harder than normal. Shut up, OK? I tried to hit him back but Abuelo grabbed us both my the arm. Don’t make me have to crack your heads open, he said.

Junot’s style of his writing is so laid-back, he tells it how it is, and there is no bullshit. His writing is unique by using Spanish words sporadically in his story and there is no quotation marks. This gives his writing a different mood and is more personal. His writing makes reminds me of a movie or just an average kid down the street that has a crazy family and is struggling in life. By using Spanish words it incorporates his culture into his writing even though he is telling about his life in America.