Book 3 and Book 4 of Brown Girl, Brownstones has many important events happening. It begins with the announcement of the United States entering the war after the Pearl Harbor attack. This is followed by the breakfast scene where Ina and Selina are watching their mother making food while two new characters named Florrie and Iris. Selina hears her mother say that she will sell Deighton’s land without his consent. Selina is really afraid and tries to talk to various people and when that doesn’t seem to work, Selina goes to look for Silla at the factory where Silla was working. Although she goes there to stand up to her mother, Selina does not end up doing that and is instead scolded by her mother for coming to the factory. When Silla sold the land without Deighton’s permission but let him collect the money, Deighton ended up wasting the money buying random things.

Several months after Deighton wastes the money from selling the land, Gatha Steed’s daughter’s wedding. The daughter was getting married to a man she did not love. The Marriage ceremony was more for the families and the participants than the couple themselves. Deighton is rejected by the entire community at this Wedding. When Deighton loses his arm at the factory in which he worked, he becomes depressed and ends up joining The Peace movement. When Deighton leaves home to work at a restaurant of the Peace Movement Silla becomes angry and reports him to the authorities since he was a illegal immigrant. He is then deported but on the way back to Barbados he drowns and dies.

After her Father dies, Selina blames her mother and starts changing a lot. She was then told to go to a meeting of Association of Barbadian Homeowners and Businessmen with her mother. While at the meeting, Selina lashes out on the association. When she was leaving she meets Clive, who she ends up having sex with even though she didn’t really know him and this was their first meeting. Clive becomes Selina’s boyfriend. Selina plans to get a scholarship that the association was giving to run away with Clive. After a Dance recital, however, Selina really learns about the racism that she and people like her face in society. She goes to Margaret’s house where she meets Margaret’s mother who ridicules her for her skin tone and tells her she is good for her people which is an insult to her people and herself.These insults thrown at Selina makes her realize the good sides to her own race and decides to be honest with the association. Selina breaks up with Clive and tells the association the truth about the scholarship money and doesn’t accept it even though she wins it. She then accepts her background and decides to go back to Barbados.

Overall, the book “Brown Girl, Brownstones” was an interesting book that gave me a peek into the life of an average Caribbean American girl growing up in Brooklyn. it was interesting to see how Selina’s life was probably similar to many other people who are 2nd generation immigrants. It was also interesting to see that Selina had been able to accept her background for what it was. I think it is a struggle that all 2nd generation immigrants or even first generation immigrants face once they immigrate to the United States.

Although I got angry at the characters during different periods of the book, I was able to understand the life of children who are born in families with conflicting views on their background. It also makes me see and understand the difficulties that is faced by many people as they try to find a place for themselves in their respective communities in the United States.

I also felt very sad for Deighton and the whole family in general. it would have been easier for the family to have lived properly if the whole family had put in the effort to become better in life. Deighton never actually seemed realistic enough to work and try to actually provide for the family. It was also sad that he lost first his dreams, then his arm, and eventually his life. Just as Deighton was driven by his dreams of going  back to Barbados, Silla was too driven by her desire to fit in with the others who were buying houses. She went too far as she sold the land and then got Deighton deported. She should have let him even if it was just to remain as a father to Selina and Ina.

“From Immigrant to Transmigrant:Theorizing Transnational migration”

This article is about the transnational ties that affects migration. Originally there was the view that immigrants slowly incorporate into the countries they migrate to. The new theory of Transmigrants says that there are people who have lives that depend on their international connections and are shaped by those connections. It also points out that the view of the United States on immigrants limits their transnational Loyalties. Meaning that transmigrants are sail to be loyal to one country while they could be loyal to more than one countries.

There are three reasons why immigrants lead a transnational life. The first reason is that there is a “global reconstruction of capital that is based on changing forms of capital accumulations” has to bad situation in the sending and receiving countries of immigrants. This gives the immigrant no secure place of settlement. The second reason is that Racism in european countries and the United States makes newcomers and their descendents insecure. The third reason is that there are nation building projects in nations that allow the immigrants to have social ties in various nations.  Transnational ties are also very important because they provide support for immigrants in economic and social situations. There are also many good things that grow out of transnational ties. An example is the role played by transmigrants in the struggle against the dictatorship of Haiti.

As I was reading this article it reminded me of my own situation. I feel that I too have my ties with the United States as well as India. With many of the readings we have done so far, I find myself agreeing to their truth. When I was reading about the part about transnational ties helping businesses, I thought about the many culture stores in various parts of New York. I think that it is important to treasure these transmigrant ties because with these connections there are many benefits to be gained. People become transmigrants for various reasons but in the end being transmigrants is a big part of many people’s lives. it makes me think of people who work in airlines, they are constantly traveling between countries and their lives depend on those travels. It is their livelihood.