Invisible Child { non-fiction critical analysis }

       I read the article "Invisible Child" by Andrea Elliot published in five segments in the New York Times. It follows a homeless sixth grader named Dasani and her six siblings, mother and stepfather. They live in the Auburn Family Residence in Fort Greene, possibly the worst homeless shelter in New York City. Auburn fails to meet the requirements of state health inspectors, yet nothing is done. Dasani and her family share one room in the shelter with no bathroom, mice scurrying in and out of the walls and mold creeping up along the single sink. "Over the last decade," Elliot writes, "city and state inspectors have cited Auburn for more that 400 violations--many of them repeated--including inadequate child care, faulty fire protection, insufficient heat, spoiled food, broken elevators, nonfunctioning bathrooms, and the presence of mice, roaches, mold, bedbugs, lead and asbestos." Not to mention the sex offenders lurking around every corner and every bathroom. People have even filed complaints about being sexually assaulted by security guards, many going unnoticed.  Dasani's mother, Chanel, promises they will move out of Auburn soon. She has been promising that for three years, and here they are. The author explains how Chanel has to fight to keep custody of her children because of her battles with drug addiction and how a little stealing now and then is the norm for this family. Dasani's lifestyle is so different from mine, so this article really opens up my eyes. I believe Elliot wanted to write this article to shed light on the city's homeless, but also to tell a story of survival through the eyes of a young girl.
       Reading this article, you will feel sorry for this girl who must protect her siblings and herself in her rough life, but you will also be in awe. How can this 11-year-old girl smile and laugh when the reality of poverty and adulthood has been dropped on her decades too early? How does she even manage? Elliot uses harsh photos combined with heart-warming ones to show Dasani's life and make readers feel like they are right there, going through the good and the bad with her. Elliot also devotes different sections to different topics. One section may be about Fort Greene's drastic income difference and the other about Chanel and Dasani's stepfather's history, and the next about the unbreakable bond between the siblings. When Elliot writes about Dasani, you see a girl too wise for her years. Dasani likes to look out of her window and see the Manhattan skyline, particularly the Empire State Building, before everyone else is awake. "Her gaze always stops at that iconic temple of stone, its tip pointed celestially, its facade lit with promise," the author writes, "'It makes me feel like something's going on out there,' says the 11-year-old girl, never one for patience." This quote hints that the skyline represents her ideal future, her dream life. Only Auburn, the place her mother promised they would get out of, is standing in her way.
        This article has surely touched thousands of hearts after being published in the New York Times, especially during the holiday season. It makes me realize how lucky I am and how little others have. I had no idea exactly how many homeless children there were in New York City alone, and the numbers are way too high. Elliot writes, "If all of the city's homeless children were to file into Madison Square Garden for a hockey game, more than 4,800 would not have a seat." Those numbers are not for homeless people in general, but children. Children that have been robbed of their childhoods. This makes me wonder what I can do to help. Elliot's article succeeded in raising awareness about the issue, but it is up to the people of New York to make it better.

Dasani's family at Auburn

Picture Perfect { Social Action Inquiry Question #2 }

       The fiction novel Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult follows a young woman recovering from amnesia. Early in the book, Cassie Barret realizes she is a paleontologist is hit with the shocking news that she is married to the world-famous actor Alex Rivers. From then on, her struggle to remember her past leads her on a journey of self discovery.
       In the beginning of the book where Cassie remembers little to nothing about her past life, a clear perspective is missing: The perspective of her husband, the award-winning actor. Alex knows everything they've been through, but Cassie is oblivious. As the readers, we too only have Cassie's thoughts and feelings on this issue, meaning we often feel as frustrated as Cassie trying to remember her life. Because of this, Alex has a huge advantage over Cassie and the readers. He can manipulate the past in our minds because we know nothing of it, changing events and characters to benefit him. When Alex first picks up Cassie at the police station, it is like the title of the novel, "picture perfect." Any woman would trade places with Cassie without a thought, if that would mean being married to the wealthy, world-famous, unbelievably attractive Alex Rivers. "She apparently led a storybook life." (32). Perhaps Cassie wasn't happy with Alex, but until she got her memory back, she would have to believe she was. Alex even says, "If you don't get your memory back... I'll just make you fall in love with me all over again." (31). This almost sounds like he wouldn't mind if she never got her memory back, which hints that there is some dirt he would like to cover up. I know if I were in his place, I wouldn't be able to face the fact my wife might lose her memory forever. I would want her to remember all of our good memories together, especially our wedding. Alex has a huge advantage over Cassie, and he can literally make her believe anything now. 
       Jodi Picoult must have left out Alex's perspective for a reason. If we had known Cassie's past before she did, we wouldn't have been able to take the emotional journey with her. We wouldn't have been able to question Alex with Cassie or empathize with her. It was important we learn Cassie's past at the same time she did so we could understand what she was going through. 
       Missing perspective is important in trying to figure out the meaning of a novel. The readers join Cassie in discovering herself and her past life, coming away with a sense of accomplishment when she remembers even the slightest detail. Jodi Picoult's decision to eliminate Alex's perspective makes Picture Perfect even more meaningful.

* I'm not done with the book so no spoilers please! *