Circuit Essay
Bullying is something that many people experience in their life. For some it affects them and for some it doesn’t. People sometimes are hurt, mentally or physically, sometimes they don’t care about it. One big way people are hurt is through racism. In The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez, even though Francisco faced racism and other problems when he was young, he still grew up to be a smart and successful adult.
Francisco’s brother (Roberto) has trouble getting a job, so he asks the principal to help him. He waits a few days, then the principal finds him a job. He gets a job at Buster Brown shoe store. He goes to the shoe store and they interview him. By the end of the chapter he comes back and he looks sad, he picks Francisco up from work. “Roberto shook his head, “No I got the job,” he said “But not working at the store.” “Doing what then?” I asked impatiently. “Cutting his lawn. Once a week,” Roberto answered sadly.” pg.128 This connects to the thesis because the owner of the shoe store made him mow the lawn. This was very unfair, also he can’t just mow a lawn for work! You can get paid, but I think working with Francisco would be better.
Francisco’s friend (Gabriel) is Mexican just like Francisco and his brother, Roberto, the owners of the fields are racist to all of them. Gabriel has the same job as Francisco, Roberto and their dad. They teach him how to work and they work for many days. The contratista (the contractor) tells Francisco and Gabriel to pull plows. Gabriel does not like this. “In my country, oxen pull plows not men,” Gabriel said. Grabbing Gabriel by the shirt collar and pushing him. Gabriel lost his balance and fell backwards. The contratista kicked him in the side with the end of his boot.” This connects to the thesis because they were being racist to Gabriel and Francisco. The contratista did this because they were Mexican and Gabriel would not pull the plow.
Francisco goes to school like any other kid, and he does not have a hard time getting good grades. Francisco loves eighth grade and wants to do good in school. He has a assignment where he have to memorize a part of the Declaration of Independents, they can read it in front of the class for extra credit. Francisco wants to do the extra credit but he is afraid that the kids will make fun of him because of his Mexican accent, he did not want this to happen. On the day it is due Francisco is very nervous, he gets to the classroom at exactly one o’clock, he recites his part one time in his head. “She was interrupted by a knock at the door. When she opened it, I could see Mr. Denevi, the principal, and a man standing behind him. The instant I saw the green uniform, I panicked. Miss Ehlis and the immigration officer walked up to me. Putting her right hand on my shoulder, and looking up at the officer, she said sadly, “This is him.” This connects to the thesis because the teacher told the border patrol about Francisco. Or maybe the principal told the border patrol. This is very bad for Francisco, also this is mean.
In The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez, even though Francisco was made fun of and had to take care of other problems when he was young, he still grew up and was a smart adult. Francisco has to face racism and so did his friends, Gabriel was deported and got beat up, Roberto had to mow a lawn for a shoe store, and Francisco got deported! What if, then and today racism disintegrated? What if people did not judge others because where they come from, what color skin they have, and what they believe in? If so wouldn’t the world be a better place?