JENNIFER SMESTAD ERIN CROCKETT GIRESSE TCHEGHO Enrique’s Journey

Introduction Enrique’s Journey is about a young boy who lives in Mexico and is trying to find his mother in the United States She left him and his sister at a very young age She is working in the U.S. to make more money for her family She was supposed to be gone for one year, but ended up staying Enrique thinks about his mother everyday and started his journey of finding his mother at a very young age He eventually became successful, but there were many issues and obstacles along the way

Issue #1 Issue: Was it good that Lourdes left her children to work in the United States? Conclusion: Yes, I believe it was good for Lourdes to move to the United States to make money for her children. Reasons: 1. Lourdes' children would not grow up in a safe environment because she had no money to support them. 2. She had no money to buy them pencils, so they couldn't complete grade school. She wants her kids to be able to have clothes, eat often, and go to school. 3. She wants her kids to have a good life and have money to live off of, and the only way she could make money for them was in the United States. It will only be for a year, and she will return to her children.

Issue #2 Issue: Does Enrique have the right to feel resentment towards his mother? Conclusion: Yes, Enrique does have the right to feel resentment towards his mother. Reasons: 1. His mother Left him at such a young age, and he feels abandoned. 2. After his mother left, his father left also. 3. He is lonely and feels that no one loves him anymore.

Issue #3 Issue: After all these years, should Enrique still be upset with his mother for leaving him? Reason: No, he should not be upset with his mother anymore. Conclusion: 1. She loved him very much, and still does, and did everything she could to make him happy. 2. She sent as much money to him as she made, and put herself into danger by giving away all her money to her children. 3. She only left her children so they could have a better life; if she stayed in Honduras she could not send them any money to live off of.

Issue #3 Enrique’s feelings of resentment towards his mother can be justified. His mother left him at such a young age and he felt that he wasn’t loved because of her leaving. She told him over and over that she would be back soon, but she never went back for him. I couldn’t even imagine having to make the decision that Lourdes had to make. She was just trying to do everything that she could to provide for her family. She had no idea that leaving would lead to so many problems.

Issue #4 Issue: If I consider myself as Enrique and I took the same path to find my mother, will I accept my daughter to do the same to find me? Conclusion: For me, Enrique’s decision to go and find his mother was like the yin or yang, good decision or bad decision, positive or negative. I will remain neutral for this issue and I’ll provide reasons for my neutrality.

Issue #4 Reasons: 1. The love for her mom and the desire to meet with her has guided him through his entire journey. Like many kids of his age, living without a parent you know is alive is very painful; and his decision to live his country and starts that adventure was very courageous from him. But at any time he will fail, he will stand up and continue his path while keeping faith. Every danger he has encountered that didn’t kill him had just made him being stronger and stronger. On the other hand, although h made it, the probability to cross the border of the United States is very close to zero but not zero. 2. Enrique’s attempt to enter the U.S has failed many times. He had been injured, suffered and put his life in dangers. For most kids the adventure is seldom fruitful. They both get arrested and deported, maimed in an accident, crack or suffer other types of trauma. Sometimes for those who are able to enter the U.S, the meeting with their relatives isn’t always as they thought it would be. As in the case with Enrique, immediately after the reunion with his mother many problems developed and that was the beginning of another long and risky journey for him and his mother.

Thoughts Enrique’s journey has been one of the most inspiring books I have read this year. As I was enjoying the last two chapters of the book, I found myself asking so many questions without answers. Chapter six and seven tell the end of Enrique’s adventure, he enters the United State and met his mother. The chapters also talk about his relationship with Maria Isabel and how she gave birth to their daughter. Maria Isabel, separated from the father of her baby, struggles to rear the child and to convince the baby that her father in America will someday return or send for them. After reading this last part of the book, I tried to put myself into Enrique’s shoes and one main issue arises.