Im not too sure if anyone commented on this but " You're in detention! I can touch whoever I want!" These two lines said by the officer is unsettling and leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The language in conjunction with the image further exemplifies the intensity of the situation. We see this abuse of power by officers all the time throughout history and even today. People who are able to be in power such as police officers often times abuse their power for their own gain. This officer here feels like they are clearly superior and can do what they want but these are human lives they are affecting and actually harming to the point it can be a traumatic experience they will re-live forever.

"Though he acquired police documents to prove his innocence, he is held in detention for over a year." This quote right here although very literal shows you the severity of the situation. This is not the first time nor the first time of this happening and is truly the sad truth behind a lot of immigrants stories and lives. The justice system is heavily flawed and we can see that all around the world. People are wrongfully accused and especially in this situation we can see the justice system failing again and not looking out for the individual but more of just completing a job.

Reading this over again I realized the potato can act as a metaphor for life. In which we have gone through many trials and tribulations that act as the gouging in our lives. We question the actions we have done in the past that have tested our moral compass and make the reader come to question what is right and what is wrong.

Immediately in the story we are thrown into a flash back or a scene in which we learn of the narrators mother. This descriptive nature of the gouging of the potato creates this feeling within the reader to see the brutality of these day to day activities. This "screaming potato" is not just any regular potato but our protagonist reminisces of his mother peeling this "economical potato." Setting the scene for whats to follow after this line.

This feeling of feeling small when we are surrounded by something nostalgic that can take us back to our childhood is so relatable. I felt the language here speaks to everyone because we can relate no matter what that we are always the child in the presence of our parents. Here they are traveling to see the sculpture on this little outing and it feels as if she's that small little girl once again with her father. A person can be 30 years old but still a child in the eyes of their parent. I only say this cause my dad always says things like this "you will always be my little girl".

I found this whole passage to be very concerning but also interesting. The author is continually making the reader realize the things a tourist shouldn't realize and worry about. It's crazy to think all these things that are going on without being noticed only because you are in fact the tourist in this situation. People travel to countries all the time and this realization that all this is going on in the background makes me not want to travel just a little bit. The language reveals the truth behind these foreign poor countries.

I love the writing style of this text already so far. The language here is putting us in the shoes of this tourist, this person visiting on holiday constantly. We are reminded every few seconds to further emphasize we are in fact this tourist in Antigua. I liked how the writer related this taxi driver to the ones in New York because it is so true. Living in New York there is an abundance of traffic, gridlock, and crazy drivers that this driving will most likely excite me so I thought that was really funny and interesting the way the author describes the driving.

The other two annotators couldn't have explained it any better. The whole being of NYC is perfectly represented here through the text. The underrepresented and those not noticed by society are often put to the side and not even made important at all. The bodies under the city are numerous and are very representative of those not represented in our society. We are just hiding the fact they're there with other things and often forget they are even there.

Building off of Yuren's point we see how this conversation helps the reader get to know more about Julius. Throughout the unquoted conversations and the numerous random interactions the reader realizes Julius' view point on certain subjects. I found the language here to be truly revealing of what Farouq believes and his manner when discussing issues. He is very free and open to sharing his opinions and not afraid of adversity.

I see a constant pattern of people bringing up Julius' heritage. The language here reminds the reader to emphasize who Julius is. The writer (I feel) does this on purpose to make the reader see the importance. Repetition in writing usually symbolizes some type of significance and maybe we will see more of it as we continue to read. Overall the language here does a good job of inviting the reader to know and want more.

I really liked this sentence because it incapsulates the emotions of the city. The movers, the shakers, and all those in between. Cities are full of life and many different perspectives making it a very unique experience. Living in New York I have definitely felt the rush of people on a morning train and the tired and lax of the train coming home in the afternoon. The author does a good job of comparing this rush to those in a human race running from death. The language allows the reader to be submersed in this experience and almost feel as if the reader is in the subway with the author.

I agree also with Yael said but to expand a little more I have never related to something more. There can be millions of people, faces, friends, family members, and that feeling of being alone is still very possible. A person can be alone in their thoughts, seen to be alone in this world, and these could be major factors to why they might feel this isolation. This feeling has been felt by everyone because ultimately we all come into this world alone and once again leave it alone. It's hard not to feel by yourself because everything you want to accomplish requires effort by yourself alone. The multitude of people although seems as if you're not alone but can in fact intensify it as said in the passage. It could feel overwhelming to know all these strangers could care less about you making an individual feel that way.

Over and over he keeps playing into her game (informal).

The English here up until this point has been very descriptive of what’s going on in the surrounding. Maru this farmer is revealed to having some type of power unbeknownst to the world. He is plainly said to be treated differently and this reveals that mystery to the reader of how his powers to tell what others are thinking has affected others. It makes the readers question what his powers are also capable of. Also @eedmeade18 I really agree with that aspect of the mystic realism because it makes the reader question is this honestly true of what Maru could do.

The English here up until this point has been very descriptive of what’s going on in the surrounding. Maru this farmer is revealed to having some type of power unbeknownst to the world. He is plainly said to be treated differently and this reveals that mystery to the reader of how his powers to tell what others are thinking has affected others. It makes the readers to question what his powers are also capable of. Also @eedmeade18 I really agree that aspect of the mystic realism because it makes the read question is this honestly true of what Maru could do.

Another lover!? (informal)

The author speaks a lot about how this traumatic experience she didn't have to live through imprinted on her life heavily created this spell that becomes her own way of art which she says earlier. I think through her "illegible writing" , her art she wants to share this spell and her experiences with others who have also been affected by war in one shape or another. To really experience it you can simply imagine it and be there for others and experience that same art or even make your own.

The authors whole life has been clouded with her mother's war stories which has proven to be more impactful than anything she has dealt with. The stories have left her under "extreme suppression" whether it is her struggle to write or express even her emotions. The tales have left her scarred to the point she wants this spell to be undone. It became part of her identity and who she is. Imprinting on her childhood and effecting all areas of her life. She finds herself trying to escape from this spell but it has a tighter hold on her.

When reading this part I felt as if the father knew of what possibly happened to her. She is a victim to rape and her father is so blind to this fact because all he wanted to see was his daughter return home. I would hope a father would be able to recognize when his child is different or went through something traumatic or huge. It could be also the dad going through this war is almost as if he is desensitized to what happened and whats continually going around him to realize his own daughter is affected in the process. These are all very possible or he doesn't know yet what has happened and is genuinely happy to see his daughter. I feel he knows and could possibly turning a blind eye. His daughter exposes her self "with painful slowness" to demonstrate what she has gone through has made her become so hesitant and even afraid of what her abusers did to her.

When reading this part I felt as if the father knew of what possibly happened to her. She is a victim to rape and her father is so blind to this fact because all he wanted to see was his daughter return home. I would hope a father would be able to recognize when his child is different or went through something traumatic or huge. It could be also the dad going through this war is almost as if he is desensitized to what happened and whats continually going on around him to realize his own daughter is affected in the process. These are all very possible or he doesn't know yet what has happened and is genuinely happy to see his daughter. I feel he knows and could possibly turning a blind eye. His daughter exposes her self "with painful slowness" to demonstrate what she has gone through has made her become so hesitant and even afraid of what her abusers did to her.

In mist of the chaos and confusion Sirajuddin is calm and somewhat unbothered to his surroundings. The sky appears as dusty. When describing items in an household we can describe them as dusty. Referring to the sky as dusty really shows how clouded it can be from the debris from the war. On the outside this man can appear as calm and collected but on the inside he is stuck. The vivid language allows you to imagine that he is truly shocked and unable to move.