She’ll get a job in no time.Maybe even end up in New York.”
this shows the optimism involved with the American dream. "she'll get a job in no time" shows how people view America from an outside perspective.
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A Santa Claus le gusta el vino
Santa Claus is an American aspect of Christmas and he is already entering the girls' lives.
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So that my girls start saving their money to take care of us, Mami“
The American mechanical banks are not only toys, they teach saving and future responsibility. This connects the American object to ideas of self-reliance and economic progress, values often associated with the American Dream.
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They’re all the craze now
super popular item made in the USA, and the family treats U.S. products as new, modern, and the best possible quality to buy.
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(How could a snowstorm be bad?!)and the Christmas decorations on the streets
Carla cannot even imagine how a snowstorm could be bad because snow belongs to her fantasy of New York. Alvarez uses the child's excitement to show how idealized America appears from afar.
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“This one isa powerful American Virgin.” Gladys handed me the card. “She’ll get me toNew York, you’ll see,”
she treats the statue of liberty as a saint who can deliver her to New York. This shows how strongly America can symbolize hope from a distance.
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hairdos copiedfrom American magazines my mother had thrown out
Even before the family moves, American popular culture influences how people imagine beauty and style. The magazines make the United States seem fashionable and modern, showing how American culture already carries status in the Dominican Republic.
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wonderfulsurprise from New York City, where it was winter and the snow fell fromheaven to earth like the Bible’s little pieces of manna bread.
the girls imagine New York through snow, gifts, and almost biblical imagery. America feels distant and magical rather than ordinary. This idealized picture contrasts with the harder things the García family later experiences after immigrating to the United States.
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