“The English Lesson” and “Going Home: Brooklyn Revisited”

A Fiction/Non-fiction Dialogue

By:  Angela Branch and Julie Sahmel

Recorder:  Terri St. John

Fiction Text:   (Angela Branch, reader)

“The English Lesson” by Nicholasa Mohr (1986)

About the author: 

Nicholasa Mohr was born in 1935 in New York, New York.  Her parents emigrated from Puerto Rico to raise their family, which would grow to include seven children.  Her father died when she was only eight years of age.  She began to draw and paint, to escape the burdens of poverty.  Many years later, a publisher suggested that she should write about her life experiences because there were no books about Puerto Rican children or their culture.  Nicholasa Mohr has been writing ever since.   

Non-fiction Text:  (Julie Sahmel, reader)

“Going Home: Brooklyn Revisited” by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

(Off Center 1980)

About the author:

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Barbara Grizzuti Harrison was the granddaughter of an Italian immigrant.  In the vignettes that comprise her book, Visions of Glory, Harrison describes growing up in as a Jehovah’s Witness, overcoming anti-Semitic attitudes, falling in love with her Jewish teacher, leaving the church, and other life-shaping events.  Some of her other works include Learning the Lie: Sexism in Schools, Italian Days, and The Astonishing World.

Dialogue Outline & Discussion Summary

Purpose of Dialogue

The purpose of this dialogue is to examine distinguishing markers of non-fiction and fiction American immigrant texts, to explore how elements in these genres overlap, and to discuss some of the benefits/pleasures that each genre provides.

“The English Lesson”

Markers of Fictional Texts in “The English Lesson” (Angela)

·        Use of title to reinforce the theme of the story.  There is a greater lesson learned by the characters than just that of learning English.

·        The story is written as a narrative with 3^rd person point of view.  The teller of the story is not a character in the story.  This extends the subject matter to all readers, rather than to just the narrator’s experience. The story has a plot with a sequence of events that goes through the traditional intro, climax, and resolution.

·        The fictional story also has a simple language structure that makes the writing enjoyable to read.  The language is simpler than that of nonfiction. Compare this short story’s syntax to that of Harrison’s.  On page 160, one of Harrison’s  sentences is a paragraph long.  Interestingly, the complexity of her syntax parallels the complex issues facing American immigrants.  This structure stands in stark contrast to the simple structure found in “The English Lesson,” where the first generation characters are still largely unaware of these complexities.

·        As presented by Joan Lynd, a student in Dr. White’s 2001 Immigrant Lit. Class, the setting displays a typical high school classroom that is familiar territory to most readers.   The fact that Mohr uses a high school classroom keeps the story from ever being dated, and thus extends its effectiveness.  We get the feeling that people will always being immigrating to America in search of the American Dream, and these issues will, therefore, forever be relevant.

Genre-Bending:  Elements of Non-fiction in “The English Lesson” (Julie)

The story is fiction, but the issues are real.

·        Although this work is not a minority narrative the course cultural objective, “American Dream versus the American Nightmare,” seems to be captured in the character of Diego Torres, who comes to America because he is forced out of a job in Santo Domingo.  He is “forced” out of his country because of economic disadvantage that is fostered by American influence.  He chooses to come to America only because he feels he has no other choice.  Ironically, despite his anger, Diego does end up coming to America for many of the same reasons his classmates came.  Why America?  Why not some other country?

·        The harsh reality connected with overcoming language barriers is reflected in the character of Stephan Paczkowski, former professor of the history of music, who is forced to take a job cleaning restrooms.

·        The teacher represents those from the dominant culture who remain unaware of many of the issues first-generation immigrants face.  She is benevolent, willing to sacrifice her time to help these newcomers, but their diverse backgrounds and attitudes surprise her.

Benefits provided by this fictional American immigrant narrative:

·        Captures a multi-faceted view of the American-Immigrant experience

·        Reader experiences a cross-cultural view.

·        As noted by, Sylvia Duncan, the fictional story “lifts the reader out of time,” which facilitates a less-constrained view of American immigrant issues.

·        The fictional work allows for the reader to interpret the American immigrant feelings from the dialogue of each character instead of the narrator telling us how they actually felt. 

·        The fictional work also allows us to put ourselves in the story, which helps us better relate to each character.  Do you think that Lali’s lesson has extended beyond the scope of learning the English language?  Do you think her feelings changed because of William?  Does she now have a different perspective about opportunities for women in the American culture?  (make sure you talk about the fiction aspect)

Class Discussion

Dr. White:              The story is written in simple language.

Lynn Starkey:          The dialogue helps.

Susie Gibson:          And the setting.

Natalie Canino:          The non-fiction story expresses blatant emotions that the reader cannot always relate to.  In the fiction piece, I felt much less threatened. In the non-fiction piece we’re made to feel introspective and face our own guilty feelings.

Lynn Starkey:          The reality of the professor working cleaning toilets is true. I once met a man who was a doctor in South Viet Nam but he worked for a molasses company here. And, all his children had Christian names to help them assimilate to American culture.

Natalie Canino:          The teacher was so naïve. We all felt more for the different characters than she did.

Susie Gibson:          Maybe she had to remove herself and not be so involved.

“Going Home: Brooklyn Revisited" 

Markers of Non-Fictional Texts in “Going Home . . .”   (Julie)

·        Setting

As Sylvia Duncan, who presented this work in Dr. White’s 2001 American Immigrant class, points out, the setting marks this work as non-fiction.  The time and place are clearly defined.  Specific events occurring in the 1970’s are mentioned, such as “James Caan playing Sonny.”

·        Style

The voice of the narrator is that of a fully assimilated Italian American journalist, who acknowledges that she struggles with maintaining objectivity. 

The text is organized in an essay/magazine article type of format.  The author uses her experience as a former resident of the community to provide background information, quotes remarks made by current residents of Bensonhurst to demonstrate public opinion of the community, and then provides commentary to help the reader make sense of some of the problems facing the ethnic American community she describes.  The language is elevated and parallels the complexities of the issues she discusses.

·        The purpose of article is apparent.  The non-fiction piece:

Ø     Reports facts.

Ø     Provides insight into Italian immigrant mindset.

Ø     Elucidates issues confronting American immigrant    

communities – Social Darwinism, for example (167).

Ø     Identifies and reveals faulty assumptions/beliefs that contribute to ethnic

conflicts, such as the local myth that “the blacks don’t want to be here

anyway” (161). 

Ø     Attempts to sort through ideas with the hope of resolving some of these

problems/conflicts—feeling of safety in familiar circumstances, as

expressed in the “Gees” versus the blacks who were strangers to the

community (163).

Elements of fictional texts in “Going Home . . .”  (Angela)

·        Although non-fiction pieces usually address purpose rather than theme, this text does address some of the same thematic concerns as our fiction reading.  Harrison directly addresses many of the same issues highlighted in “The English Lesson.”  This is the view point of each individual assimilated American; it is the change of becoming American

·        When speaking of the American dream, the author realizes the dream is different for all  (161). For the Italians, it is the ownership and respect of the neighborhood. They cannot understand why the blacks come to the Italian schools, rather than staying with their own kind.  But the Blacks live the American Dream through traveling 3½ hours to school, hoping for a better opportunity.  In contrast to the Italians, the blacks feel they must leave their own kind in order to achieve The Dream.

·        The author uses personal stories that allow an enjoyable feeling of fictional reading during the nonfiction essay.  These anecdotes, such as the one about her grandfather’s garden, may include some embellishment from a childhood past.  Anytime we tell a story, it gets changed a little as we tell it.

·        (Read second paragraph on 159).  The author points out that fiction is often more compelling and picturesque than just facts.   Harrison admits that the fictional beliefs of her culture and the stories that expose those beliefs cause her non-fiction piece to flow more smoothly—like a story rather than an essay

·        The author compares the Utrecht high school to her womb.  She feels safe in the school lunchroom despite the fact that police, who are responding to the horrifying events that recently occurred, had surrounded the school (165).  She slips again into her own fiction, feeling safe in a familiar place, but she is obviously in a place that is no longer safe.

Benefits/Pleasures of this non-fictional American immigrant text (Julie)

·        Reader response – The careful reader might worry that the Harrison sees the 1974 school violence in Bensonhurst through the lens of an assimilated Italian who maintains close ties to the community and could, thus, be biased.  Because she acknowledges her connection to the community and writes through the voice of an objective journalist, however, Harrison mitigates any reader mistrust that might have been fostered by her affection for the community of her youth.  Instead of dismissing her, we trust her to give us an inside view.

·        As Harrison identifies and exposes the faulty assumptions and belief systems of her community, the reader gleans insight into the complexities of issues facing American immigrants, including the competition for resources.

·        The reader gets an in-depth view of a single ethnic mindset, rather than snippets of many different ethnic experiences.

·        Our course cultural objective involving socioeconomic reasons for immigration is apparent.  Compare the characters of Diego Torres and Harrison’s Italian grandfather.  Each comes to America for economic opportunity, yet each is determined to maintain the national pride of their birthplaces.  Harrison points out the irony of her grandfather’s behaviors.  Do you think Diego’s behavior is ironic like that of the grandfather’s? 

Class Discussion

Susie Gibson:          Diego doesn’t want to become an American. They both don’t want to give up something. Both are holding onto something in the old world. One wants to be here, and one does not.

Natalie Canino:          The differences are in the American Dream. The Italians wanted a nice neighborhood and house. His dream was still attainable. Diego was angry because he didn’t want to be here. His dream was not attainable.

                             On page 163 she talks about all teenagers being wild but the white kids are familiar. The black kids are scary just because they are not familiar. It makes us aware that we won’t change. We all want to belong. What will connect us is a common ground, like the alcoholism that the two women in “Report from the Bahamas” were familiar with.

Dr. White:             Also, I want to point out the insipient love story in “The English Lesson” between Lali and William. It was implied but didn’t violate Lali’s marriage.

Susie Gibson:          Lali wants her two hours of freedom.

Dr. White:             It shows the state of constant change (Lali’s growth through learning English). Lali and Rudi’s days are numbered!

Susie Gibson:          Lali and Rudi have nothing in common.

Dr. White:             That’s one reason the American Dream is so threatening at the same time it’s liberating. Lali gets out and flies!

Works Cited

Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti.  “Visions of Glory -- A Series with Barbara Grizzuti”

19 Jan., 2002.  <http://www.exjws.net/visions2.htm>.

---.  “Going Home:  Brooklyn Revisited.”  Visions of America:  Personal Narratives

From the Promised Land. Ed. Wesley Brown and Amy Ling.  New York: Persea,

1993.  158-169.   

Mohr, Nicholasa.  “The English Lesson.”  Imagining America:  Stories from the

Promised Land. Ed. Wesley Brown and Amy Ling.  New York: Persea, 1991.  21-

33.

Scholastic, Inc.  Authors Online Biographies.  20 Jan. 2002. <http://teacher.scholastic.com/authorsandbooks/authors/mohr/bio.htm>

Voices From the Gaps:  Women Writers of Color.  Nicholasa Mohr. 20 Jan. 2002.  <http://voices.cla.umn.edu/authors/NicholasaMohr.html>