Learning to Die in Miami by Bao Tieu

MLA CITATION

tieubao000 — 2024-02-25 02:28:03 UTC

Eire, Carlos. Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy. Free Press, 2010

#1 April, 1962: On the American Land

tieubao000 — 2024-02-25 02:31:53 UTC

Carlos was shipped away from Cuba to America, hoping for a better life. However, he was left alone with no parents and nothing on him.

#1 Outside Source:

tieubao000 — 2024-02-25 02:33:38 UTC

#2 - Adoption:

tieubao000 — 2024-02-25 02:37:25 UTC

Carlos was adopted by a Cuban couple who happened to be Carlos' dad's friend. The couple also have a son who is also Carlos' friend. Later on they adopted 2 more kids.

#19 Operation Table

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:06:30 UTC

Carlos was in the Chicago Hospital where he calls it Hell to get his injury fixed. He experienced shaking, cold, sweating, as if he was going to die. He described the experience as painful and terror

Quote #1

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:07:57 UTC

"When I get to my house, I can't believe my good fortune: My house parents are people I know, friends of my mom and dad" (7).

Quote #9

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:12:19 UTC

"I'm out of Hell, and back to the operation table" (14).

#20 Mother's Death

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:17:15 UTC

Carlos visits the hospital with his mom, who is on the edge of dying. He spent the lost few hours holding his mom's hands on the hospital bed as she lies there. At last, his mother passed away.

Quote #10

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:17:27 UTC

"She's unconscious, and her breathing doesn't sound anything like breathing" (29).

#3 Language Barrier

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:17:33 UTC

Carlos struggled with English as he only knows basic sentences, he cannot communicate with anyone who doesn't speak Spanish. His first attempt with Norma and Lou were not great but they somehow almost understood what each other are saying.

Quote #4

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:17:42 UTC

"Both of us set ourselves back a whole year, knowing we had a lot of catching up to do... We'd missed too much schooling and didn't know enough English" (53).

#5 School

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:17:50 UTC

Carlos and Tony were sent to school, however, they've missed a whole year of school in Cuba so they have to stay behind one grade. Both of them know it and are fine with it since they didn't know much English anyway.

#4 Thanksgiving with the Rubins

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:18:02 UTC

On Thanksgiving, which Carlos called it "Festive Day", his family invited the Rubins over for dinner. At dinner, a turkey was brought out which scares Carlos off, he protested that he doesn't want to eat a bird. Later on, as Carlos is eating, he ate a calf's brain, tongue, and more which makes him ill.

Quote #2

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:37:14 UTC

"And my ignorance of English was a serious problem. I knew how to form basic sentences, but I couldn't really communicate with anyone who didn't speak Spanish" (34).

Quote #3

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:49:44 UTC

"How well I remember that sudden rush of nausea, and the vomit that spewed out" (48).

Quote #5

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:53:50 UTC

"I begin to feel my split personality surface, intensely. I'm no longer just 'me,' but Charles and Carlos. Charles had forgotten how good Cuban food could be and had steadfastly refused to admit to himself that American food was far inferior" (71).

#6 Pool

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 06:55:08 UTC

Carlos made friends with a neighbor kid named Mark. Sometimes Carlos would call and ask the family if he can come over and swim. Lou and Norma would invite him and Tony to hang out with them too. This shows a drastic improvement to his life, making friends and breaking the language barrier.

#7 The Cuban Family

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 17:16:16 UTC

Juan Becquer picks up Tony and Carlos over to his house to spend time with him and his family. Even though they are not related, Carlos feels a connection between them because they are just like him- Cuban.

#8 Identity

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 17:28:00 UTC

Ever since Carlos moved to America, he left the Cuban in him behind. He refused to acknowledge anything that is Cuban related; food, cultures, traditions. However, whenever he spends time with the Becquers, he finds the Cuban him in that brings him inner peace.

#9 Bowling because American

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:14 UTC

Carlos likes bowling because it makes him feel like a true American. Every summer in Miami Carlos' adopted parents would take him to bowling and would put him in bowling lessons. During the summer during 1962, Carlos invited all of his friends to have a party at a bowling alley.

#10 Kids At School

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:21 UTC

When attending 6th grade, Carlos had a blunt accent that is hard to not laugh at whenever he speaks. Kids at school would often laugh at him when he speaks English, or would ask annoying questions because he's from another country.

#11 Missile Crisis

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:26 UTC

Norma showed Carlos an article about a missile crisis that happened in Castrolandia. During that time, Carlos' mother was ready to visit him from Cuba in November. Both of Norma and Carlos was upset since they haven't since his mom since they both came to the US.

#12 New Home

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:31 UTC

The social worker took Carlos and Tony to see their new place to live. Carlos was stunt when he first saw the house. Old, dirty, moldy, small- everything was just out of nowhere. Carlos couldn't handle the fact that it was his new home.

#13 First Christmas

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:36 UTC

Since celebrating Christmas was illegal in Cuba, Carlos is not used to getting in the spirit of celebrating his first Christmas ever. Ever since the first Christmas, Christmas to him is now like a 'cannonballs fired from defective artillery', meaning he can't never get used to the spirit.

#14 New House's Living Conditions

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:40 UTC

When Carlos moved into the new house, which filled with troublesome kids, it was exhausting for him. He started to wonder why his foster parents decided to put him up instead of taking care of him because he is severely ill.

#15 New School

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:51 UTC

Carlos moved out of elementary and is now attending middle school. His new classmates are not what he's expected- American; blond, and blue eyes, they were just not American looking.

#16 New Years Parade

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:18:56 UTC

Carlos and Tony decided to go to a New Years parade. Even though he doesn't care about how the parade will be- fun, loud, boring- he just doesn't care. He only wants to be out of the house that he's currently living in.

#17 Mother's visit

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:19:02 UTC

Carlos' mother is visiting Carlos after many years not seeing him. Now he is a grown man who has a family. His mother groups up with her friends and travel throughout Europe and meets his family in Chicago

#18 A special Opportunity

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:19:07 UTC

After went to college, Carlos started writing his book "Waiting for Snow in Havana", which was a major success. After that, he continues on with his golden career path.

Quote #6

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:22:34 UTC

"The entire classroom erupts into laughter. Belly laughs, not mere snickering. Prolonged outright laughter" (98).

Quote #7

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:22:39 UTC

"'I can't live there. I can't live in that house'" (114).

Quote #8

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:22:49 UTC

"I don't care how good or how lousy the parade is; I just want to be somewhere other than that stinkhole of a house" (144).

#2 Outside Source:

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:23:21 UTC

#3 Outside Source

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:23:31 UTC

#4 Outside Source:

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:23:42 UTC

#5 Outside Source:

tieubao000 — 2024-04-05 18:23:54 UTC