Jake Paucar 

Dr. Amy Kratka/Prof. Kayle Nochomovitz

Fiqws

10 April 2023

The larger community

  In the stories, “Call it sleep” and “The Loudest Voice ” they both have a connection that has impacted them in the story. Which I believe is immigrants within the larger community but they are impacted differently because of the way they are viewed. In “Call it sleep” David and his mother moved in with his father who is living in New York, so it’s a whole different experience for them like the language which they know a little about. In “The loudest voice” Shirley is a little jewish girl who has a big part to be played in her school’s christmas play but her mother doesn’t want her to because of how the subject is about christmas. They both are jewish people that are living in different places than how they used to live in, they are trying to change by getting to know the places they live in so they can adjust.

In “Call it sleep” David and his mother both moved in with his father in New York’s Lower East side and are not used to the environment. David is experiencing new things like the language and the society around him. David and his dad(Albert) don’t get along too well making it worse for him, his dad talks to him in a bad tone, always trying to make David feel bad saying heartless things to him. He meets Leo who’s a religious person and tries to ask him “why he has a cross” around his neck  and he explains how the cross will “bring him luck”, can protect him from anything . They become friends but Leo then rapes one of David’s cousin making it horrific to David. Showing us how bad things got to David due to the situations he had been through. 

  In “The loudest Voice” Shirley is taking a big part in her school by participating in a christmas play which she really looks forward to doing. Her teacher was talking to Shirley about how clear and loud her voice is, and assigned her to a part of a play. Her parents, mainly her mom, are not into it and don’t want her to do it but her father is happy for her because her voice will be heard by everyone. Her mother is still arguing with the father because of the things he is saying and how he allowed her to count one with the play. Shirley later on still went with it and continued the play her “voice burst immediately” and they were surprised by her voice.   

In both stories “Call it sleep” and “The loudest voice” they both have something in common which is immigrants within the larger community, learning new things that are in the environment they live in. In “Call it sleep” David and his mother move in with his dad at age 6, everything is different for him. Albert insulting David saying doesn’t make anything better, making it way worse for him because of the change of environment plus how bad he gets treated by his father. But David’s mother and him both have a better and stronger connection together. In “The loudest voice” Shirley has a role in a play which then her mother is not too intrigued about. She wants to do the play and express herself with her voice. Her father talks with Shirley mom and says “you’re in America Clara, you wanted to come here.” By this he’s trying to explain how there are different traditions in New York and they shouldn’t think any bad about it. It shows how both of the main characters are from a different country but are willing to adjust by participating in any activities which for David was meeting new people and Shirley was going with the play and expressing her voice.  

In conclusion both of these stories “Call it sleep” and “The loudest voice” have a bigger meaning towards the audience that is reading it. It shows how both characters are going through difficulties due to their parents and environment they live in. Each of the characters has a problem but they both can connect on one which is immigrants  in a larger community because of their parents living in New York having everything around them so different and having to learn different traditions. Overall both stories show us a valuable lesson, learning to speak up for yourself, making sure you do what’s right for you even if some people will misunderstand you.