American Dream in Volar by Judith Ortiz Cofer

Imagine becoming someone you have always wanted to be, and using your imagination to get you through a troubling time in your life. Would you use your imagination to become someone wealthy? Or would you go beyond to become a superhero? No matter what it is, if it helps you to get through your day then it’s worth it. Poverty is endless, no matter what way you live your life, when you don’t have money you’re automatically poor. Some may stay living poor, which is the worst thing that can happen to them, but to Judith Cofer being poor is just an excuse to live like a superhero. No matter your background or ethnicity, becoming a superhero has no boundaries. With a little imagination, Judith becomes a superhero and escapes the life of poverty and lives out a life of luxury, demonstrating that even in poverty a person can enjoy themselves and forget the downside of the situations they are in. Like Judith, people are now using their own way of escaping reality and finding comfort in a hobby. Some have even gone as far as making their dreams a reality.

Comic books are a way of entertaining themselves. Comics can have a profound impact on society, they can educate and warn society about serious issues. The fight between good and evil can go in hand with people trying to escape reality. Many people do not appreciate the impact that these comic books can have on society and the message they have inside of them, the drawings in a comic book can be worth a thousand words, the pictures illustrate situations that can be overcome with strength. In comic books, there is a superhero and a villain that everybody looks up to. Villains can also show us how to look out for the bad stuff we all face. When it comes to a villain you never know what their reason for doing what they do until you get to understand them. It could be that they are troubled and the way they did things was because they thought it was right.

In “Volar”, the impression of a superhero gives, is a white tall blonde superhero with money. In today’s society, young kids living in poverty see Americans as rich wealthy people, sort of how Judith pertains her superhero. When growing up in a low-income neighborhood a child doesn’t see much of the outside world, but only what they see on television, that’s if they even have enough money to afford cable. When watching television kids in poverty get ideas that tall blonde people are born rich in wealthy families, but that shouldn’t be the case. Still today it can be seen how much hasn’t changed. Presidents are still thought of always being chosen by their skin color. “Volar” portrays the problems faced by many immigrant families, such as the struggles of fitting into a new place, and starting life from the beginning in America, especially if the English language is not known. Like many people living in poverty, Judith seeks a way out of her situation and finds it in comic books, for example, she sees other apartments as big and glamorous, and she wishes hers was like them, but hers is just a “tiny bedroom”.

In this story immigration is prevalent to today’s issues because so many immigrants try to escape from their country to escape hunger, poverty, or torture. The decision to leave their country and their families behind is not easy, which often they end up risking their own life crossing the border. Many think that immigrants come to steal jobs, and are even labeled as criminals. The reality is that immigrants wish they were the same as Americans, by being able to do more for this country as a superhero does for their people. Many immigrants come to this country to pursue a better future, but some prefer to just go back to their country and wished they have a wealthy life in their place of origin as an American hero does, but that’s just a dream that might never happen. Some people just wish to flee when things become harsh just like Judith’s mother, when she wishes she could just fly away and visit Puerto Rico and abandon the hard life they are living and enter into a better one just like she quotes on the story “she’s sigh deeply and say the same thing the view from her kitchen window always inspired her to say: Ay, si yo pudiera volar?”. Today we have immigrant youngsters who can use this saying, which are young adults who were brought to this country against their own judgment. DREAMERS, as they are known, could be much like Judith that they dream of having a better future and having the opportunity of coming out of the shadows, if only they could “volar”.

In conclusion, the little girl had three American dreams, which was being a beautiful girl, having lots of money, and having freedom, something some Americans take for granted. Her dreams are described as something that she wants or wish to have. Just like her mother, she will be wishing to fly forever, but the reality is that no one can fly and not all her dreams can end up becoming reality. When Judith uses her imagination she exits her mind and lives the life she wishes she had, but she must mature and learn to accept the life she lives and the things she has. It’s a form of blocking herself from her situation. We might all have our own opinions on the political topics we live on a daily basis, but we have to respect each other opinions. Some might think living the American dream is the best way to live, but what’s good about having to live in America if you can’t dream of a brighter future and making it a reality. Dreaming can actually influence you to go out in the world and become more than just a superhero and do things that you couldn’t imagine.