American Son Blog 4

Just earlier, I read two more chapters of American Son.  It is revealed that his grades have been slipping up ever since he has almots embraced the dark side and become like his brother.  Father Ryan, the priest and head of the school were Gabe attends, was a missionary from the Philippines and knew the customs of the country, talked with Gabe about it.  Father Ryan asked further questions if his grades were caused by life at his house and the way Tomas treats him but Gabe denies all of it.  Later, Aunt Jessica takes him to the new Catholic school that he will be enrolling in.  Not only does the school have better conditions inside and out, but it was really expensive.  But something made Gabe feel anxiuos about transferring to the new school and I guess the reason why he is anxious is because there were a lot of rich kids who are white and that would judge him for his socioeconomic status.  It is also revealed that only he and Aunt Jessica knew about Gabe's grades, not his mom.  If his mom ever knew, it would devastate her completely because he was the only son she can depend on.  Then Aunt Jessica explains to him, "Look.  Gabe.  Your mother had hopes when she came to this country.  In America you can becomne successful.  You can rise above. You can get education.  That's what she was taught by those nuns the Amercan Catholics sent over... But it's too late for her Gabe."(166).  Then she furtherly explains, "Anyway, Gabe.  I don't think she for anything for herself anymore.  She hopes everything for you... And let me tell you something more, Gabe.  Your mother has been talking to me.  Her brother, Betino- your uncle- has been nagging her to send you and your brother to the Philippines.  To stay with him and go to school over there.  You know what that place is like- the soot, the crime, the crowds, the people, the kidnappings, the humidity?  Do you remember?  How old were you when you came over here- eight, nine?  He wants you to live in his house where he can watch over you.  And why do you think he is offering to do this, Gabe?  Do you think it's because he wants your company?  To take you away from your mother?  No.  he says all this because he believes that you are not turning out right, and the reason he thinks that?  Well, he talks with your mother, and he can hear in her voice how worried she is.  How much it hurts her.  Are you listening to me Gabe?  Gabe?  Do you understand?  He can hear on a phone from five thousand miles away on a bad connection that your mother is in pain and lonely and disappointed and scared.  Behind a curtain of expensive static.  You and Tomas are everything to her.  You think she has dreams of her own?  What, to open up a shoe making business?  To become a millionaire?  To remarry or something, go dancing, live it up, have a good time? Like some young, happy-go-lucky single mother?  Come on.  You know what she's like.  She came to this country in the first place, Gabe, even back then, because she had dreams that her kids could have a better life than the caste droven slum you come from."(!67-168).  The whole passage shows that Gabe ios finally opening his eyes to how much his mom has been in agony for so long.  Even to the point that Ika is considering the advice of her brother Betino, to come to the Philippines.
In the next chapter, it seemed that Romas has gone soft on Gabe and decided to bring him to the parties where the bad kids go.  At onme point, one pof the parties was at a friend's house who's mom is in her 30's and let's everyone come to her house.  What's strike is that she allows people to smoke marijuana and have sex at her own living room.  This shocked me because moms are supposed to be mature, have values, responsible, and being a role model to their children.  Then the chapter shifts to the new school where Ika accidentally bumped on to a new and luxurious car that one of the mother's owned.  The mom embarassed Ika in front of everyone and never knew how to fight back.  This made Gabe uncomfortable.  Later they drive on to the mall and she nnede Gabe to help her out in the customer service line.  The sales lady was rude because even thoughboth Gabe and Ika needed help, she was still talking to one of her co- workers.  So Gabe talked with her about how frustrated he was and it was shown that he can be tough and firm but he has to apply it in life.  And it also shows that her mom is total opposite of her children because she could not talk and felt embarassed and was too dependent of them both.  And in the end, Ika showed a different side of her when she conversationally talked with a random woman who had so much common with her.  It showed that she was longing to be with her family and that wioth her family, she could be happy.  This happens to be the beauty of family because in Filipino families, we tend to watch over and help our loved ones and that getting together with relatives makes us overjoy with happiness.