A centralized theme throughout What is the What is dependency. As a refugee, Valentino struggles in Ethiopia and Kenya and is dependent upon people like Dut and Noriyake to help him survive. When he comes to the United States, he is dependent upon people like Phil and Mary to help him with every day things. When he leaves the hospital and arrives at his house, he has no desire to stay there. Instead, he travels to the Newton's house and wants to take a nap on their couch for an hour before he has to head off to work. When he gets to their house, he realizes that nobody would be home and starts to get frustrated that he drove all this way to bug them. He's tired of always being dependent upon others and always needing help. Today, Valentino has built schools in Sudan and has started non-profit organizations. What he didn't realize at the time, was in order to be successful here, he needed to be dependent upon people like Phil and Mary. He needed them to teach him the ways of Americans. Although he was frustrated, it was for the better. He now has the tools to help others that are in the position he was in back home. Being dependent helped him gain access to resources he wouldn't have had otherwise, such as an education, a car, and an apartment.
I agree that if Valentino had not been given the help that he had been given he may not have been the successful person he has become. Valentino now wants to be the provider and have people in need be dependent on him. He wants to help people who are just like him. Thus a circle of people helping people is formed. Valentino is a good role model of how people should be helping others, who are in a less fortunate condition than yourself.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right. Valentino's frustration with needing so much help was a catalyst for him to do better in life. I believe all the help he received from others was an inspriation for him to ultimately set his life up in a way that allows him to help others in need.
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