The idea of the American dream is very fascinating to me. As a young kid, I was made aware of what it mean’t and I began to appreciate it more and more as I got older. This semester, I am taking Mr. Leff’s Race, Class, Gender class. We talked about the American dream and what it means to different people. For most immigrants, the American dream is the notion that if you work hard and play by the rules, you will be able to live respectability (maybe even comfortably) and support a family. In Mr. Leff’s class, we studied the American dream during different time period in American history. We debated whether or not the American dream was even possible during low points on American history like the great depression in the 20s and 30s. Was American society hindering individuals from realizing the dream? Or was the American dream achievable for all who putt in the effort? When I was younger, my father would tell me how he came to America after he finished college in India. He tells me that when he came, he had two hundred dollars in his pocket. No family, No resources, No plan. Just a dream. I found his story to align similarly with Ramon’s story in “Negocios”, Junot Diaz’s final story.
While I read “Negocios”, Junot Diaz’s final story, I kept debating whether or not Junot Diaz was doing all he could to realize the American dream and bring his family to the United States. Was he playing by the rules and working as hard as he could? Initially, Ramon’s time in the US prove him to a hard working, relentless individual. He works several different jobs, sleeps minimally, saves as money as he possibly can by cutting his living expenses and making other people pay whenever possible. He even walks by foot all the way from Miami to New York in the bitter cold in an attempt to save money. He seems motivated by something bigger than himself as he sends most of the money he makes back to his children and wife, leaving him broke.
Even though Ramon does work hard and seems to genuinely want to bring his family over to the States, he does still find time to go to parties and go to bars. After Ramon moves in with Nilda, I found his motivation and drive to realize the American dream slip. He doesn't seem nearly as dedicated or motivated with his work as he is when he first moves to the States. He buys new and expensive clothes mentions how he has to pay for eighty-eight light bulbs in his new house. He doesn’t seem nearly as focused on saving up money and sending some to his family back home. I think part of this has to do with the fact that with Nilda, he has a reliable place to sleep, a food source, and another income to support him. When Ramon is living with Nilda, he stops responding to the letters from his family back home. He reads them but it seems like he is dispatched and doesn't have the same drive to help his family back home.
Towards the end of the story, it becomes clear that Ramon was simply using Nilda when he is with her. His intentions become clear again when he begins to borrow more and more money from Nilda and starts lying to her about what he is doing with the money. After his trip to his homeland, it seems like Ramon is even more motivated to bring his family over. His relationship with Nilda seems to deteriorate slowly as they begin to fight more and more and the dream that he had when he first came to the US seems to be back.
