Journal Four in two parts from Chris M. Walters

In the dark

Part One

In the chapter, Papa Who Wakes Up Tired In The Dark, for the first time in Esperanza's life, death becomes real. She witnesses the pain of her father – a foundational figure in her life – when he learns of the loss of his father. Through this event, she wonders what she would feel and how her life would be if her father were no longer alive. As her father sits, crying on her bed, Esperanza holds him tight out of both love and fear. 

"My Papa, his thick hands and thick shoes, who wakes up tired in the dark, who combs his hair with water, drinks his coffee, and is gone before we wake, today is sitting on my bed (57)."

I think this sentence tells the story about the type of man her father is. Cisneros describes him physically while also revealing his social class, family values and traditions, and the kind of relationship he shares with Esperanza, making Esperanza's father real to the reader, increasing our emotional connection and investment into her story.

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Part Two

During my early youth, you were either a die-hard Michael Jordon fan or die-hard Bo Jackson fan. Even though they didn't play the same sports, they were both too big of stars for you to claim both. I was a die-hard Bo Jackson fan.

I was initially drawn to Bo Jackson because he was explosive at two professional sports, baseball and football. Plus, he had some really cool marketing campaigns. But after I read his autobiography and learned of the challenges he overcame as a child, I came to value him on a higher level.

Bo's personal story added to my inner strength, which helped instill a strong work ethic and mental toughness. He also affected how I spent my money, buying hundreds of his sports cards and every magazine he was printed on. I even wore L.A. Raiders gear and had the Nike "Bo Jackson" shoes, the Air Trainer SC.

I'm positive that If you asked any of my friends that I grew up with, "Who was Chris's favorite athlete growing up?" they'd say without question, "Bo Jackson." In a way, for my group of friends, when we thought of a particular professional athlete or musician, we would think of a buddy of ours.