Circuit Essay

 

We all have experienced loss in our life. It is either the loss of friends/family and for others it’s the loss of a prized possession. Everybody responds in a different way. Some people use the times of loss to think back and commemorate all of they have had with that thing and become more mature and some people just break down.    In The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez, When Francisco does not make meaningful connections with others, that makes it harder for him to thrive.

Francisco made friends with Miguelito, a boy from his camp, who moved away before they could become real friends. Francisco goes to a cotton camp in Corcoran and started going to school. He walks to the bus with his friend, Miguelito. After school, they met at a playground. They were going to make fishing poles out of a pepper tree. Miguelito had to leave but he wanted to meet up the next day. The next day when Francisco came over to Miguelito’s cabin he was not there and neither was all his family’s belongings. Francisco figured that his best friend moved away. Page: 49, “My heart sank into my stomach. Slowly, I walked home, feeling a lump in my throat. I heard Miguelito’s laugh in my head and thought about our game with puddles.” When Francisco found out that Miguelito left, he sort of broke down. After Miguelito left, Francisco’s only friend (until he moved again) was a fish that he named El Angel De Oro. He watched it swim around for hours. After that he had no friends for a long time.

Francisco then made friends with Carl who he met in school. They both had penny collections Fransisco moved away before he could show it to Carl. Francisco met Carl in school. They both had coin collections. They organized to meet and for Francisco to show his collection. Francisco moved away before he could show his to Carl. So sad! Francisco met Carl in school and then became best friends. They both had started collecting coins and when Francisco came over he was amazed. One at Carl’s house and at his coin collection. Francisco was going to bring his collection to school but they moved away before he could. Page 101: ”I never got the chance to show Carl my collection. That weekend we  moved to Five Points and I never saw my friend again.” Once Francisco makes a friend it looks like it is hard for him to make friends after he has lost one. In the beginning he made friends with Arthur and he lost him. Then he had Miguelito and he lost him too. Then had Carl for like two seconds then lost him then it did not mention any more friends.

In the very end, Francisco was very comfortable in school. Then his English teacher, Ms. Ehlis, got him deported back to mexico. In eighth grade, Francisco has two teachers that he really likes. One is his English teacher, Ms. Ehlis and his math teacher, Mr. Milo. In English they had to memorize and recite the whole Declaration of Independence. The day that was due there was a knock at the door. It was the immigration officers (border patrol)! Ms. Ehlis came over and told them that they were looking for Francisco. And then he was deported along with Roberto. Then Miss Ehlis came over with the border patrol and the principal and told them they were looking for Francisco. Last page: “Miss Ehlis and the border patrol officer walked up to me. This is him, she said, sadly. My eyes clouded.” I thought this was the most sad ending I have ever gotten from a book. It just ends with Francisco and Roberto getting deported without it actually saying it. On the other hand the teacher had gotten him deported. If I was Francisco I would have some mixed feelings in that moment. Mostly sad, mad, scared, disappointed and I would be asking the same question over and over in my mind, “Why did she have to point out that it was me they were looking for?”

Francisco did not thrive very much because he did not make many meaningful connections. Although he had a couple of friends (keep in mind, not that many) he lost them very quickly. He made friends with Arthur in 1st grade and then moved, Miguelito and then he moved, Carl and then Francisco moved and then his English teacher got him deported back to mexico. Although Francisco kept losing friends he also kept going. What if you were in Francisco’s shoes? What action do you think you would’ve taken?

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