After soldiers come, a family is forced to flee their Caribbean island home and sail across dangerous waters to America in a small fishing boat. They faced hunger, were robbed by opportunistic pirates, and nearly capsized, all because they were drawn forward by the freedom they sensed could be found in America.
As they approach land, they spot soldiers. In fear, they worry that the soldiers will capture them and deport them. However, rather than following standard protocol, the soldiers bring the needy, hungry immigrants food and they allow them to stay rather than be deported. The narrative key:
it is Thanksgiving Day.
Bunting is doing something special here. Rather than presenting readers with a realistic story of how immigrants are now treated by our "justice" system, Bunting uses fiction to expose our nation's inconsistencies of immigration narratives. America's quintessential immigrants - the Pilgrims - serve as the unstated archetype for these immigrants. They, like these Latin American immigrants, fled their homelands because of persecution. Risking grave danger, both groups pressed forward to the perceived shores of freedom.
Instead of deporting the Latin American pilgrims (imagine the jarring element if the original custodians of our land - the Native Americans - had attempted to deport us!), the soldiers strangely live the logic of "America's" founding narrative. They offer hospitality, shelter, and food to those coming onto their shores.
This book served as a valuable reference point, not only as we reexamined our nation's Thanksgiving narrative, but as we explored how we can better live this out. Whether our families came to America ten days ago, ten months
ago, ten years ago, or much longer than that, they, like most
Americans, are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants. They deserve the same hospitality that we celebrate this Thanksgiving.
However, there are inconsistencies. And this story helps us to explore this. We used this opportunity to talk about one of the hot issues in today's political sphere - immigration reform.
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As students listened to the story they made Venn Diagrams comparing these "Thanksgiving" immigrants with those of Pilgrim lore.
We examined:
- What prompted both groups to flee their homelands?
- Where they able to take many things with them?
- How did both groups view America?
- Compare and contrast their voyages. Were they dangerous? How so? What other hardships were faced?
- How does food - its lack and the sharing of what is available - figure into both stories?
- How did the original Pilgrims react when they first saw land? How did the "pilgrims" from Latin America react?
- Do you think Bunting's suggestion that the family can stay even after they are captured by soldiers is realistic?
As further extensions we explored Nativism, looking at historical photos over the course of American history that depict this exclusionary sentiment. We also read the immigration narratives of several immigrants - Russians, Scandinavians, and Hispanics. Finally, we looked briefly at the rich variety of foods that immigrants have introduced to our diet. This added richness is symbolic of the many new "flavors" that diversity brings to life.
You, whoever you are!...
All you continentals of Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, indifferent of place!
All you on the numberless islands of the archipelagoes of the sea!
All you of centuries hence when you listen to me!
All you each and everywhere whom I specify not, but include just the same!
Health to you! good will to you all, from me and America sent!
Each of us is inevitable,
Each of us is limitless—each of us with his or her right upon the earth,
Each of us allow'd the eternal purports of the earth,
Each of us here as divinely as any is here.
