T he unknown Americans of Cristina Henríquez's novel are Hispanic tenants of a run-down apartment building in a down-at-heel Delaware town. “The Book of Unknown Americans” is less about the actual trek of its characters than about how they settle in, make do and figure things out. On their wedding anniversary, Alma and Arturo take Maribel out for “drinks.” The family has no money, so they just order waters and enjoy sitting in the bustling restaurant. The Book of Unknown Americans Essay Topics. The story feature immigrants from several different countries to the south of the United States—Panama and Nicaragua as well as Mexico—and the stories of those people coming to America reveals a complexity to the issue of immigration that simply does not conform to the narrative required to fit campaign slogans, sound bites and slanted ideological messages of conservative media stars. Mayor’s father, Rafael, is a hot-tempered man with big dreams for his son—he wants Mayor to be a soccer star, though, unbeknownst to him, Mayor has quit soccer and is only lying about having attended practices and games. Could the setting have been anywhere? The Unknown American Revolution plunges us into the swirl of ideology, grievance, outrage, and hope that animated the Revolutionary decades."" As she and Maribel prepare to leave, their neighbors visit to offer flowers, food, and condolences. Complete summary of Cristina Henríquez's The Book of Unknown Americans. The Book of Unknown Americans study guide contains a biography of Christina Henriquez, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Mayor falls in love with Maribel, but not without pain and hardship. Mayor Toro, Celia’s son, is a stringy, geeky high-schooler who can’t seem to live up to his father’s dreams—or his soccer-star older brother Enrique, who has gone off to college in Maryland on an athletic scholarship. Arturo loses his job at the mushroom farm, and he and Alma lament the futility of their carefully-laid plans for success in America. It is a bustling American city with many places to eat, shop, and enjoy life. However, the American Revolution was not a unified war but a civil war with many internal disputes that wreaked havoc and chaos throughout America. Arturo tells Alma to forgive herself, and he calls the police—there is a patrol car out looking for Maribel already, but Arturo does not want to wait. The tenants celebrate their cultures together, and Mayor and Maribel sneak off in the middle of the party. GradeSaver, 13 February 2019 Web. Mayor's father, Rafael, also says that he should not associate with her. During the first snow of the season, Mayor and his friend William steal Rafael’s car, but Mayor abandons William so that he himself can go scoop Maribel up from school and show her the snow—the first snowfall she has ever seen in her life. Chapters 10-15. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Meanwhile, Rafael Toro has lost his job as well—the financial crisis of 2007-2008 is hitting everyone hard. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The next morning, Mayor and Celia go over to the Riveras’ apartment to offer support. When they wake up, it is dark. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. The Book of Unknown Americans Summary These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Mayor is still grounded, but he visits the Riveras’ apartment anyway—he lies to Alma and tells her that his punishment has been lifted. His job harvesting mushrooms in the dark angers him and Alma and suggests that the land of promise they’d hoped for might be beyond reach. When they arrive back at the apartment complex, Rafael is waiting outside for them—he orders them to get into the backseat, and he drives them to the hospital. After connecting with a neighbor, Celia Toro, Alma learns the ropes of life in Newark—she begins taking English classes at a local community center and becomes excited about all life in America could offer. “The Book of Unknown Americans” is a contemporary American novel of Latino immigration by Cristina Henriquez. Maribel and Alma make plans to return to Mexico. xxix 512. There are some side stories about other immigrants who live in the same apartment building with these two families. He chronicled the events of … Alma and Arturo settle into the Redwood Apartments and their new lives begin to take shape. Furious, Rafael grounds Mayor—which means he is not allowed to spend any time hanging out with Maribel. Mayor gifts Maribel a red scarf and kisses her. 'The Book of Unknown American,' by Cristina HenriQuez is a story about immigrants from Latin America. After “rescuing” Maribel from Garrett’s insults, Mayor begins to feel a “protectiveness” over her and the two spend more and more time together, growing closer and closer. Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware, and is where the Rivera family moves into the Redwood Apartment building after leaving Mexico. When Arturo arrives home, Alma confesses that there has been a boy who has had it out for Maribel. Maribel asks Mayor if what happened was her fault, and Mayor assures her that it wasn’t. He gets Maribel McDonald’s and she loves it. The Question and Answer section for The Book of Unknown Americans is a great Important Quotes. Alma recounts the circumstances of her husband’s death—he was shot by Garrett Miller’s father, who will be charged with his murder. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”. Alma comes to the realization that Maribel was who she was before the accident after all, and recalls that Arturo once told her that everything is beautiful if you give it a chance. Instant downloads of all 1379 LitChart PDFs (including The Book of Unknown Americans). Celia comes over and tells Alma that the neighbors and the local community have taken up a collection—they have raised over five thousand dollars to help in getting Arturo’s body back and to ease the long journey Alma and Maribel have ahead of them. Would another location have made for a more impactful novel? Maribel feels sick a few hours into the trip and when they pull over to the side of the road, Maribel throws up and then remarks that she wants to cut her hair. The Unknown American Revolution is a jumble of vignettes designed to illustrate a paper-thin thesis that couples a cliché (most of the people caught up in the American Revolution were not elite white men) with an anachronism (these non-elite-white-men wanted radical democratic change). Alma frightens Garrett away, returns Maribel to the apartment, and does not speak a word of the incident to Arturo. Teachers and parents! Our, “Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Two days later, Alma and Maribel leave in a black pickup truck driven by a quiet man who is an acquaintance of Rafael’s. . The Unknown and The American Dream. In his book, The Unknown American Resvolution, Gary B. Nash attempts to unveil the chaos that the … Maribel tells Mayor, seemingly out of nowhere, about her frightful encounter with Garrett, and the two head home. At Christmas, the heat in the apartment complex goes out, and the Toros throw a large party in their apartment to welcome their neighbors—the Riveras, the Mercados, Quisqueya Solis, Benny Quinto, Nelia Zafon, and Micho Alvarez are all in attendance, and even the landlord, Fito, shows up. Character Analysis. The story, told in an alternating first person narrative voice, explores the commonalities and differences of the Latin American immigration experience from the perspective of various tenants of an apartment building near Newark, Delaware. That night, the Toros receive a call: Arturo has died. Alma worries that she will never get her daughter back. Rivera family has relocated to the United States to get a better school for their daughter, Maribel. The Book of Unknown Americans Overview. At school, Garrett taunts Mayor further, and the two get into a fight. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous. After a long chain of events, Arturo dies. The couple wants to bring Maribel to Newark, New Jersey because she has suffered traumatic injury, leaving her emotionless and with many physical and mental problems. An editor The novel centers on a story of two families whose hopes collide with destiny. It is a graceful examination of the American immigrant experience from the oft overlooked perspective of the immigrant herself . The Book of Unknown Americans is a 2014 novel by Cristina Henríquez published by Knopf. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Alma realizes that her daughter was never really “missing,” and has always been who she was before the accident. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez. Overview. Maribel has been involved in a mysterious accident and has suffered a traumatic brain injury which has left her with a flat emotional affect and number of impairments, such as short-term memory loss and difficulty remembering certain words. Performed by six actors, we meet a striking teenager whose family has left behind their comfortable life in Mexico in hopes of getting treatment for her traumatic brain injury in the US. Celia and Alma embrace, while Mayor and Maribel sit together silently. Rafael is skeptical of Mayor’s fascination with Maribel, and Alma Rivera, too, makes sure that the two are only allowed to spend time together while supervised, either at the Riveras’ apartment or the Toros’. Chapters 23-28. Alma teaches Arturo some key English words, but they do not improve his job search. Mayor drives Maribel a long distance from town, ignoring the messages coming in on his cell phone. The The Book of Unknown Americans Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. Essay Topics. They talk to one another, give advice and lend a hand. Chapter Summaries & Analyses. Quickly, Alma scares him away and wonders what the world has come to. The Unknown American Revolutionbrings Nash full circle with the thesis that he initiated in Urban Crucible: Social Change, Political Consciousness, and the Origins of the American Revolution(1979). Arturo loses his job at the mushroom farm, and the couple becomes very worried that they will not be able to stay afloat financially. 1. “But you could do more than pull mushrooms in the dark.” (Chapter 4 , Page 25)Though Arturo owned a construction business in Mexico, when he arrives in America he is viewed as a person capable of only the most menial labor. The Riveras tell Maribel the same thing—Maribel grows “sullen,” and the progress she has made in coming out of her shell seems to halt. Celia Toro A resident of the Redwood Apartments and an immigrant from Panamá, Celia is a loving wife and mother, a dutiful, compassionate, and fun neighbor, and a devoted friend to Alma and to many others in… read analysis of Celia Toro Get the entire The Book of … (including. Chapters 5-9. The heart of the story revolves around two families, the Riveras and the Toros. Mayor develops an interest in the beautiful Maribel and gladly accepts the challenge of attempting to communicate with and learn more about her. Meanwhile, Celia Toro’s sister, who is back in Panamá, finalizes her divorce and offers a large chunk of her settlement to Celia and Rafael, repaying them for all the money they have lent her throughout the years. They kiss and Maribel laments that the moment can’t last. The couple want to send her to a school called Evers, which is for the cognitively impaired. Arturo is the only member of the family authorized to work and he has only thirty days to secure a new job. Mayor and Maribel make their way home in the snowstorm, but as the weather worsens, they are forced to pull over to the side of the road. When Maribel does not arrive home from school that afternoon, Alma grows worried. In this audacious recasting of the American Revolution, distinguished historian Gary Nash offers a profound new way of thinking about the struggle to create this country, introducing readers to a coalition of patriots from all classes and races of American society. She loves her daughter very much, but doesn't know how to help her. About The Unknown American Revolution. The two attempt to contact Mayor, but he does not answer his phone. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Alma calls Arturo to inform him that Maribel is missing and then calls Maribel’s school, but cannot get in touch with anyone. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. Isolation vs. Community. Celia comforts both of them and they all wait for hours for some news. Longing. The novel’s protagonist and the matriarch of the Rivera family, Alma is a loving wife and mother who is determined to make the best life possible for her daughter, Maribel. 978-0-385-35085-3. Told through a host of different voices and perspectives, The Book of Unknown Americans examines the experiences of Hispanic immigrants to the U.S. and presents their stories in a full and varied light. The two drive on and eventually come to a frigid beach. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Mayor imagines the scene over and over again in great detail, sick with worry and guilt. She visits Celia Toro, and Celia assures her that Mayor is out with William. Summary. The novel primarily revolves around a romance between two Latino teenagers – Maribel Rivera from Mexico, and a Mayor Toro from Panama – and how Maribel and her family handle living in a … The family has moved from Mexico. The Toros head home and Maribel stays at the hospital with her mother—Mayor feels responsible for whatever has happened. The story is told from multiple first-person points of view, with the two main narrators being Alma Rivera, a 30-something housewife from Pátzcuaro, Mexico, and Mayor Toro, a teenage social outcast and first-generation American whose parents were originally from Panama . The book skips to another group of Americans, this time the Toro family. 2005. Over the rest of the day, as neighbors visit the Toros to offer support, the story unfolds: Arturo went to Capitol Oaks, became embroiled in a confrontation, and a man with a shotgun fired at him. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez focusses on the immigrant viewpoint through the lives of several Latinos. Maribel suffers from brain damage, and Alma carries with her the deep guilt of believing that she herself was responsible for Maribel’s accident—she had been holding the ladder that Maribel was climbing at the time of her fall. The Book of Unknown Americans is a stunning novel of hopes and dreams, guilt and love—a book that offers a resonant new definition of what it means to be American. Celia begins teaching Alma English, as Alma has stopped going to classes at Community House. by Gary B. Nash ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2005. In order to impress Maribel, Mayor offers to show her the inside of the car—he steals his father’s keys, and the two make out in the parking lot. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Her parents are hopeful that by sending her to Evers, a school for learning-disabled or cognitively-impaired children, Mirabel will have an easier time learning and will soon begin to resemble her old self. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of The Book of Unknown Americans. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Struggling with distance learning? From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. In his head, he begins to wonder who, exactly, is at fault—trying to unravel such a random and “infinitely” complicated series of events causes Mayor to think perhaps Arturo’s death has “nothing to do with any of [them.]”. Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. One afternoon, Alma spots Garrett harassing Maribel outside the apartment—her shirt is lifted up over her bra and Garrett has her up against a wall. New York: Viking Press, pp. The youngest Toro son is named Mayor. this section. 1. Chapters 19-22. Cristina Henriquez's The Book of Unknown Americans gives a powerful and moving glimpse into the immigrant experience for many Latin American people. The authorities promise Alma that they will get “justice” for her and for Maribel. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Alma tries to make do with their reduced food stock, making rice and beans day after day. To pay for tuition, Arturo gets a job at a mushroom farm, and Alma stays at home, desperately homesick. Symbols & Motifs. Compare how the narrator explicitly reveals his attitude about his cultural identity versus his parent's attitude that are revealed implicitly. In his book, the author wrote about his belief that America has lost sight of the most disruptive and radical upheaval in American history. Support your answer with evidence from the text. A few days later, Alma calls Celia and tells her what Quisqueya saw—Celia and Arturo reprimand him and forbid him from seeing Maribel anymore. Futility, Chance, and Loss. The American Revolution has too often been dominated by the narrative of the founding fathers and has since been remembered as a “glorified cause.”. Arturo and Alma Rivera are two Mexicans that cross the border over into the United States, bringing their daughter, Maribel. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. In her first, COME TOGETHER, FALL APART, Henríquez used a novella and several short stories to offer a multifaceted portrait of contemporary Panama, a world unknown or only vaguely familiar to many Americans. The The Book of Unknown Americans Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The unknowns who Cristina Henriquez pictures in her novel, "The Book of Unknown Americans," are those who come from south of the United States border: the … After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Garrett, the school bully, is caught one day by Alma while he is harrassing Maribel. Arturo and Alma Rivera bring their teenage daughter, Maribel, across the Mexico-U.S. border and up to Newark, Delaware to start a new life. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. The Book of Unknown Americans has already gotten heaps of love and praise. Maribel seems to have improved, and she laughs at her father’s jokes. The characterization of... Why do you think the author chose to use Delaware as the setting for this novel? . Unable to live up to what his father wants him to be, Mayor is just an average boy. In addition to telling the story of the Rivera and Toro families, the plot is interwoven with brief testimonials from other neighbors, each of whom came from a different Latin American country and experienced different struggles and happinesses upon … Rafael decides to use the money to buy a car, and the family picks out a Volkswagen Rabbit. During the car ride, Maribel says she feels sick and throws up. The American Revolution, writes Nash (History/UCLA; History on Trial, 1997), was messy, deadly, and radical through and through—far from the sanitized, mythical version of the textbooks. THE UNRULY BIRTH OF DEMOCRACY AND THE STRUGGLE TO CREATE AMERICA. Chapters 1-4. Alma and Maribel are forced to drive back to Mexico, both because they want to and they have to. Alma tells Arturo that she wanted to protect Maribel on her own after not having been able to protect her when she took her fateful fall off a ladder at Arturo’s construction site (the fall that led to her brain injury). 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