Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia was an interesting book. One thing that plays a lot into the book is dreaming. It plays a variety of roles. In some sense, the entire novel is similar to a dream because of the way it reads. It is in the present tense and is like it is happening right now. The feel of it is dreamlike. I think that one of the main ways dreaming plays into this book is knit into the title. After reading the book, I see the title and Cuban becomes an adjective. It makes me think of it more as a "Cuban Dream"as compared to the "American Dream."
The "American Dream" is defined as "a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work" and further described on this webpage. It turns out to be what most people hope for and believing that they can achieve this by working hard.
Then, from the book, I compare it to the "Cuban Dream" that can be found throughout the novel. I think that the "Cuban Dream" can't be defined as "clearly" (I put clearly in quotes because I think the "American Dream" has a definition that most people know and strive for however it still differs for different people). It is very different depending on the character. I think Celia has a very different idea of her "Cuban Dream" than Lourdes has. Celia's dream is very for the revolution. She believes in the revolution and is very passionate about it. She wants others to believe in the revolution as well. It says, on page 117, "If only Felicia could take an interest in the revolution, Celia believes, it would give her a higher purpose, a chance to participate in something larger than herself." Celia's dream is for a new Cuba, a revolution, and a change.
Lourdes, however, has a different dream. Her "Cuban Dream" is quite the opposite. She is very anti-revolution and for a variety of reasons. One is because of an experience she had. She was raped by the soldiers. This is one big reason she is against the revolution. The influence of her father has also played into her views of being against the revolution.
These are just two examples of two different "Cuban Dreams" found in the novel. Dreaming in Cuban has many different aspects of dreams throughout and this is just one I found interesting.
The "American Dream" is defined as "a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work" and further described on this webpage. It turns out to be what most people hope for and believing that they can achieve this by working hard.
Then, from the book, I compare it to the "Cuban Dream" that can be found throughout the novel. I think that the "Cuban Dream" can't be defined as "clearly" (I put clearly in quotes because I think the "American Dream" has a definition that most people know and strive for however it still differs for different people). It is very different depending on the character. I think Celia has a very different idea of her "Cuban Dream" than Lourdes has. Celia's dream is very for the revolution. She believes in the revolution and is very passionate about it. She wants others to believe in the revolution as well. It says, on page 117, "If only Felicia could take an interest in the revolution, Celia believes, it would give her a higher purpose, a chance to participate in something larger than herself." Celia's dream is for a new Cuba, a revolution, and a change.
Lourdes, however, has a different dream. Her "Cuban Dream" is quite the opposite. She is very anti-revolution and for a variety of reasons. One is because of an experience she had. She was raped by the soldiers. This is one big reason she is against the revolution. The influence of her father has also played into her views of being against the revolution.
These are just two examples of two different "Cuban Dreams" found in the novel. Dreaming in Cuban has many different aspects of dreams throughout and this is just one I found interesting.
Krista, I agree that dreaming plays a large role in this book! Did you like the style of the dreamlike descriptions and poetic phrases? At first I found it to be too much - it was intense to read an entire book in this same poetic style. But as I got used to it, I grew to really appreciate Garcia's descriptions and beautiful use of language.
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points about the different Cuban dreams of Celia and Lourdes. It is interesting to think about how their Cuban dreams and how they are different - yet in some ways they are the same. They both have a foundation of a wish for a new chance at life, but their sense of home, their hearts, lie in two very different parts of the world.
Krista,
ReplyDeleteIt’s a good point to be made about the book, is how it is written is also very dream like being written in the present tense. Just as you I compared the Cuban dream to American dreams I did as well. I looked at my own story, how America is the home of the free and land of the brave and looking at other places in the world where people are required to work much harder for life.
Through the characters had very different dreams Cuba has given them both a “Cuban eye” to look through. They may want different things for their life they have different dreams than American dreamers will be having. We dream of how different presidents can affect our country where they dream of which total control will help to revive the country.
Krista, I agree with you when you say that the novel is about the Cuban Dream. Each character has a different idea as to what that Cuban Dream is, and although not all the characters agree on what the dream should be, I think that all of the dreams are valid, and should be looked at. I also like that you mentioned that the novel is is present tense. That is one of the first things that I noticed about the novel. It reads like a dream because everything is changing constantly and it is as if Cristina Garcia (or Pilar, as some suggested in class) is just writing down what they were dreaming about.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you juxtapose the "American Dream,"--which, for all of the various ways it's viewed, is basically the same dream of achieving success by working hard and of opportunity being open to anyone who puts in the effort--to "Dreaming in Cuban," which can take radically opposing forms of either hating or supporting the revolution. This dream divides families, as the novel shows us, and drives immigration to the United States. Such powerful stories behind these dreams.
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