“Kinship” by Margarita Engle.
In your English journal, respond to the following questions in at least one complete paragraph. Make sure to answer all questions: At the end of the poem, the author suggests that there is a difference between immigration and escape. What is that difference according to the author? How does this impact the lengths of stories? Use evidence from the poem to support your response.
In the poem "Kinship" by Margarita Engle, the author suggests that there is a difference between immigration and escape. According to the author, immigration is a voluntary act, driven by hope and the desire for a better life, while escape is portrayed as a desperate and involuntary act, primarily driven by fear and the need to survive. This difference is significant because it impacts the lengths of stories.
The evidence from the poem that supports this difference can be seen in the lines, "Some stories are more than migration. / Sometimes, / escape is / a great, dark beast that must never be named." Here, Engle highlights the difference between immigration, which can be openly discussed and shared through stories, and escape, which is often too traumatic to be spoken about and remains hidden. This suggests that immigration has more room for individual agency and choice, while escape is a harrowing experience that one is forced into, leaving scars that are difficult to express.
This impacts the lengths of stories because immigration tales can span generations, as hope and dreams are passed down through stories, creating a sense of continuity and kinship. On the other hand, escape stories are often cut short, as the pain and trauma associated with these experiences make it difficult to continue sharing them. In the poem, the author mentions that escape stories are treated with "silence, tears, held breath." This implies that escape stories are powerful but brief, as they address the immediate need for survival rather than the long-term aspirations associated with immigration.
In conclusion, the author in "Kinship" emphasizes that immigration and escape are distinct concepts, with immigration driven by hope and escape driven by fear. This distinction impacts the lengths of stories, with immigration stories being able to pass through generations, while escape stories are often silenced and cut short due to the trauma they entail.