In this short story, we discover a family coming together on Thanksgiving Day. I can relate to this, because this is the one holiday that my entire family comes down to my grandmother’s house to celebrate. As the scene opens, Rindy’s father arrives with the turkey. When he says that her Mom thawed the turkey because she wouldn’t have had room in her mini-fridge, Rindy retorts with, “ You mean Mom said Rindy shouldn’t be living in a dump, right?” I feel like this is the typical among American families. I know my parents always wanted better for me, which is why I was always encouraged and motivated to do my very best in school so I could continue my education at the collegiate level. A few pages later, Rindy suggests that her father had been having a time with her mother; having grown up in a culture that didn’t have electricity or running water, her mom didn’t find it necessary to drive anywhere and was content with staying at home. I liked when she said “She used those wolves for all they were worth…” because as humans, we often find ourselves using any excuse we can to resist change. I also liked whenever Rindy pointed out that her father “uses ‘even’ a lot around me. Not just a judgment, but a comparative judgement.” I thought this was extremely interesting. I myself often use “even” in order to emphasize something, and the fact that Rindy recognizes this emphasis her dad puts on comparisons in Rindy’s life shows her father’s disappointment. Later in the story after the family has arrived, Rindy’s boyfriend Ro shows up. Her dad embarrasses her almost immediately as he encourages Ro to spell his name. She then kisses him “really sexy so they’ll know I’ve slept with this man. Many times. And if he asks me, I will marry him.” This was completely different from the way I carry myself when I’m with my boyfriend and parents. I dated the same guy for five years throughout middle and high school, and never once did I hold his hand in front of my parents, much less kiss him passionately. Even now, being older, when I bring a guy home, I give just as much respect. I’m scared to even imagine how my father would react to such a show; I would be scared for the guy’s well being, honestly. I also thought it was interesting that Ro denied her father of a scotch and soda, altering the mood as the father became angry at the realization that Ro doesn’t consume alcohol and he does. Whenever Franny’s critical personality examines Ro, Rindy says, “I hate Franny for what she’s doing to me. I am twenty-seven years old, I should be more mature.” The way Franny was inspecting Ro made Rindy see things about him that made him different, things she had never seen before. She quickly put it all behind her, though her anger towards Franny did not subside. By the end of the story, Rindy vows to “teach him how to walk like an American, how to dress like Brent but better, how to fill up a room as Dad does instead of melting and blending but sticking out in the Afghan way,” showing that despite the fact that he may not fit perfectly into the family, Rindy definitely wants Ro in her life for good.
Vocabulary Words
Petulant (Page 60): showing sudden, impatient irritation
Emirate (Page 61): the office of an emir
Ferraro button (Page 66): a political advertising button for Geraldine Ferrraro
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