Under the Feet of Jesus: Fitting In

Each story we have read has not only focused on life of the female characters, the readings have also focused in one way or another on trying to fit in. Fitting in is not just something migrant workers or immigrants try for. Everyone in one way or another, or at one point or another tries to fit in. In Breath Eyes Memory (Edwidge Danticat) we have a strong female lead that doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin (for a variety of reasons). Not only does she not feel physically comfortable with herself, she is not certain where she actually belongs in adulthood. At the end of the story it seems like a small realization that she belongs home, but home is unknown still or developing.

19 Varities of Gazelle the author, Naomi Shihab Nye is basically defending her culture after 911.While she is defending her Muslim heritage she is also trying to show the reader that she is Muslim and American. Bone  (Fae Myenne Ng)and Lakota Woman  (Mary Crow Bird) again focus on this idea of not knowing where or trying to figure out where one (in our case female) belongs in society. For the women we have been reading about their lives are so greatly affected but not only where they actually are, but who they come from and where.

Under the Feet of Jesus (Helena Maria Viramontes) follows this premise in the eyes of a 13 year old becoming an adult and trying to place herself in the world. For her the world is very scary not only because of her youth, but because she actually has a scary, unpredictable life. Parents and relatives are in theory suppose to be comforting and provide a stable environment, for this young lady there is none of that stability.