Kate’s Circuit Essay

Stereotyping and racism affects the lives of many. The fact that someone doesn’t get the same opportunity as someone who puts the same (or even more)  amount of effort in, is unjust.  Imagine a feeling of getting treated differently just because of what you look life.  People are living this every single day. The chances you might miss, the important lessons you have to pass on, and the rights you deserve. But some can’t seem to get their rights. But people stick together, persevere, and make love stronger than hatred. In The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez, Even though Francisco’s Family goes through racism and stereotyping, they persevere and don’t let it stop them.

Francisco has difficulty in most of the schools he attended, mentally and judged physically.  Through it all he pushed through and learned English, and even got specially recognized by the math teacher for his hard work.

Francisco had difficulty because of his struggling immigrant lifestyle. He couldn’t speak the language and had very few friends to support him. This was because he looked and had/experienced a different culture than most kids attending the school. There were endless encounters of disrespect on Francisco, including; when kids often teased him for his accent, a bully at school (Curtis) beat Francisco up because he wouldn’t let him wear his “jacket” that was supposedly his (found in the lost and found). These also included academic struggles. Since Francisco couldn’t understand anything, he would often be lost in his imagination, or thinking about his family. While he was missing important math lessons. Telling time, learning how to count money. All these things a normal 1st grader would get introduced to. But Francisco couldn’t even have a chance to learn. The disadvantage was unbearable.

Soon enough, Francisco progressed. He learned English in a small amount of time, and was able to finally understand what he had been missing. He even did so well in math they would place him in the front. Even though he struggled at first, he worked his way up. He didn’t stop, he fought. He never stopped fighting.

A example of his progression from the text includes- “Every Thursday Mr. Milo gave us a math quiz, and the following day he arranged our desks according to how well we did on the test. The student with the highest score had the honor of sitting in the front seat, first row. Sharon Ito, the daughter of the Japanese sharecropper for whom we pick strawberries during the summer, and I alternated taking the first seat, ” p.123 In quote 1, it shows how he overcomes his difficulties and becomes one of the best math students.

Francisco’s brother (Roberto) wasn’t able to get the opportunity to work at a shoe store. But he was able to get a job as a janitor.

Roberto had to work in the fields for most of his life. Since his family was considered poor and he was the oldest son, Roberto had to work the most (out of the siblings). He could go to school in the off-season, and that was the part he looked forward to all year long. After 12 years of work and having almost graduated high school, he wanted to get a full time job. Which is reasonable for a 18 year old, and also very responsible. The one question that was always pondering was, How? Roberto’s past teacher said he would gladly help him out. He even mentioned a job at a shoe store. In Roberto’s mind things were going great, he thought he could help his family out of a slump. All he needed was the job at the shoe store.

After all the madness about this job, he didn’t get it. He ended up getting a job as a lawn mower. But then a job as a janitor came up. Imagine you are still in high school, but you have to take any job you get offered. But Roberto persevered, and was able to help the family by working and working. They need the money to survive. But we will never know if money buys happiness.  A example of his job offer using evidence from the text includes- “Mr. Sims offered me the janitorial job at Main Street School, ” p.130. In quote 1 it shows how he got a job as a janitor, and preserved even though he couldn’t get one at the shoe store.

The family couldn’t afford help for Torito when he was very ill. He was on the edge, thankfully he survived. So did his family, since they were side by side along the way.

When Torito was a baby, he got very ill. He had often fevers, blood in his diaper, and had trouble breathing. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, hand in hand. The family couldn’t afford help for Torito. They could barely even afford food. Torito got more and more ill. There were good days, and bad ones. But the family didn’t give up hope. When Torito was hitting rock bottom, the family knew it was now, or never. They took him into the hospital, and waited. Waited, prayed, and wished, for Torito to be alright.

After a while, doctors said Francisco’s parents were too late. They said Torito wasn’t going to survive. But the family knew their son(brother), wasn’t going anywhere. Torito survived. The family was there for each other, no matter the cost.

Whether if it was Torito or the money (resembling the cost). No one could break up their family. They persevered.

A example about Torito’s illness from the text includes- “‘Your Mama and I have made a promise to el Santo Nino de Atocha, we’ll pray to him everyday, for a whole year, if Torito gets well.” p. 41 In quote 1,  the family stuck together (prayed together) through the bad times.
In The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez, Francisco’s family had to learn to persevere through the pain and oppression of racism and stereotyping. Throughout Francisco’s childhood, he has been pushed into different difficulties, that made him and his family struggle. We see the long hauls day and night. We see how the struggles take over him. For example; when Francisco was mentally incapable of learning and judged physically for his looks in school, or when his brother wasn’t able to get a job a shoe store, and when Torito was ill, but no one could afford to save him. It all pertains to the racism and stereotyping that shoots them down in the first place. The disadvantages they have to live with, and the opportunity they can’t seem to grasp for themselves, it seems the family would be split in half, all the love and compassion would be gone. But Francisco family is unbreakable. Every bullet that goes through their world, they recover from. The bond that some families form show the real importance of life. It’s not about what you look like, how you talk, or how to approach things. It’s about the love you share with your family and friends. Even though we will never be able to push racism out of our world, we can still persevere. After all of the bad influences in our Country, we have to learn to block out racism and stereotyping. For example; President Donald Trump. He says extremely hurtful things against immigrants. Especially families similar to Francisco’s. But what does our democracy do to fight back? We join together, in states across the Country. We protest, fight, and stand up for the ones who don’t have voice. The ones that work every single day of their lives for food, and all the President does is accuse them of being criminal and imposters. We are fighting back for the families like Francisco’s that are preserving through the presidency of Donald Trump. Just remember, through the pain and oppression of racism and stereotyping, we have to persevere. Persevere through love and not hatred. Like Francisco’s family, nothing can tear us apart.