How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents.
The book "How the Garcia Girls lost their Accents" by Julia Alverez, is a glimpse into the lives of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. The family's move from the Dominican Republic, to the United States shatters the extended family and causes the daughters' psychological damage. The four Garcia sisters are all influenced differently by the move. .
Yolanda, the tomboy of the family in the Dominican Republic develops into a poet once she's in the U.S. Her difficulties with men and a painful divorce led her into a mental breakdown as well. Yolanda often dreams about a cat. The cat that continues to appear in Yolanda's dream represents her home, the Dominican Republic, which she left. This distress unfolds into bigger problems, which can be traced back to her being uprooted from the Dominican Republic, her culture, and her extended family at a very young age. Her writing and poetry will center on the haunting that begins with the black cat and continues throughout her adult life as she struggles to incorporate the past into her plans for the future. .
Carla, the oldest, had the most difficulty adjusting to school and the English language after the move to the U.S. She grew up to be a psychologist. Sandra, the second oldest daughter, felt stifled and frustrated as a child, and lost her artistic vision after she suffered a broken arm. She had a mental breakdown as an adult. Sofia, the youngest daughter of the Garcia family's wild and rebellious streak came out during her adolescence, when she challenged her father's authority and ran away to Germany to get married. I really learned from this book. They spoke about gathering fish and I've never read about anything like that because I don't live on an island. I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't had a chance to leave the United States!.
