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Character Estrella In Helena Maria Viramontes Under The Feet Of Jesus

659 Words3 Pages

When the inherent curiosity of a child is fostered in an encouraging environment, they flourish and become exceptional enthusiasts for knowledge. In the except from the novel, Under the Feet of Jesus, by Helena Maria Viramontes, Estrella, a young migrant child, struggles to grow in a oppressive setting, and learns how to achieve understanding and knowledge on her own. This excerpt illustrates Estrella’s growth from a curious child to a passionate learner through the struggles that she faces in different aspects of her life. At the beginning of the excerpt, Estrella is curious like any other young child, and the reader is introduced to the way her curiosity is different than other children. The main repetitive phrase of Estrella is, “So what …show more content…

This tone last tone shift in the except is the most significant because Viramontes reveals the most maturity and growth in Estrella’s character. When Estrella is introduced to Perfecto, she sees the image that she strives to become. Before Perfecto, she didn't understand how to put her frustration into a useful pursuit; however, when she sees Perfecto as a ¨job well done,¨ (50), she realizes the difference between him and herself. The simile that compares the foreign lines of the tools to the chalky lines of the blackboard (41) shows how confusion filled her life and always kept her from from becoming successful, but when Perfecto teaches her the specificities of the tools, she learns that she too can change from a dirty, unknowing migrant to “a job well done”. This simile compares Estrella’s life to the mystery of the tools, and it reveals how she can become educated and know more than she is allowed to currently. These details, classifications, and the figurative language that spark a fire in Estrella show how she has already change and the potential for change that is approaching. This except from the novel, Under the Feet of Jesus, morphs an oppressed child into a knowledgeable, passionate individual through a couple short paragraphs. Helena Maria Viramontes uses specific rhetorical devices in her novel to develop this character from inquisitive to ambitious, and creates hope

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