It's That It Hurts By Tomas Rivera

Dikshita Narsimha
Ms. Sparacino
English Language Arts
February 2, 2023

Absence of Equality
In “It’s That It Hurts” by Tomas Rivera, a boy whose family were migrant farm workers caused his family to move around the states throughout the year for better crops. The boy, as a result, goes to many different schools and finds it hard to fit in. With an identity as an immigrant, he is often stereotyped, subsequently receiving racial comments and actions. One led to a fight with a kid in the bathroom, which got reported to the principal, most likely leading to his expulsion. The incident resulted in the boy getting hurt in many aspects. These include: racial discrimination, as being a person of Mexican descent causes misconceptions in a white majority

Throughout the story, the family indirectly pressures the boy to meet certain standards. One definitive obligation from his dad is for the boy to work as a telephone operator in the future. The dad’s interest in the boy’s outlook comes from a movie the family watches. The hero was the telephone operator; the dad wanted the boy to be respected just like the main character, so the boy wouldn't have to suffer a hard life as an immigrant farm worker (208 - 211). On the contrary, the principal demanded the boy leave the school due to the reported feud between the bully and the boy in the bathroom. After his expulsion due to mistreatment from racial discrimination, he feels hopeless about going to another school, leading to low self-esteem. He feels he has failed his dad, as he describes, “What hurts me the most now is that I won’t be a telephone operator like Dad wants me to. You need to finish school for that” (185 - 188). This feeling was further emphasized during the conversation between the boy and his

The father praying demonstrates his sincere desire for the boy to work as a telephone operator. On the other hand, the boy appears to lack that burning passion to become a telephone operator. For instance, the boy says, "I suppose that's why Dad has wanted me to study for that after I finish school ever since then [since watching the movie]" (209-211), and "What hurts me the most is that I won't be a telephone operator like Dad wants me to" (185-187). When the boy speaks about his prospect, he was occupied by his dad's standards rather than his own. The father's hopes for the boy's future appear to set an indirect standard and increase pressure on the boy to finish school. It hurts the boy that he cannot keep up with the reputation the dad has built for the son due to the expulsion. The dad thinks the boy will become a telephone operator, so the dad makes a solid reputation in front of their relatives. The boy is ashamed of himself for failing to live up to his dad's expectations and ruining his reputation in the eyes of others by being expelled from school. The boy states, "And when my padrino comes to visit, I'll just hide. No need for him to find out. Nor for me to read to him like Dad has me do every time he comes to visit us. What I'll do when he comes is hide behind the chest or inside the bed" (219-224). The boy