Drew’s garage was open as we pulled into the driveway, with three chairs lined up waiting for us. I let the wind hit my face and the music hit my mind and enjoyed the presence of two guys who don’t care when I wear my glasses, men’s boxers, and look like a wreck. “Will your parents wake up? Drew asked, I replied with a shake of my head no, and he drove the speed limit back to his house.Įven though it was just a mile down the road I was too scared to walk there in the dark by myself. Drew and Randall were waiting in the cul-de-sac, the car’s engine purring me from the side yard and into the backseat. The anticipation of getting away with this mischievous act was enough to propel me over the fence. I heard Drew’s mustang coming down the street and I stepped off the old deck. I imagined Lincoln clamoring down the stairs, his collar jingling, to investigate the disturbance.It didn’t matter the consequences, my parents knew I was a responsible young adult. I hoped my dogs hadn’t woken from their snoring slumber. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be any repercussions but nothing more severe than a warning to be careful, but neither parent would say “You are forbidden to sneak out of this house. What would happen if they had? I have only been grounded once my whole life and that was when I was five years old. I took a deep breath in letting the adrenaline run through me, and letting out the anxiety of getting caught. I closed the door behind me hoping my parents wouldn’t hear it squeak as it sealed off my family room. It wasn’t the first time I had felt that crisp breeze hit my face.
They helped each other through the “epidemics and personal tragedies” and they “shared what little they had when the hot winds burned the land and no rain came.” Rappers, if only they knew what they looked like.maybe they would stop. The process of life is the daily process of living and surviving. It was a life that was community-oriented. The author states that "They learned that to survive one had to share in the process of life." What does he mean by this? What is the "process of life"?Īnaya means that the elders worked together as family, friends, and neighbors to support each other when times were bad and to share in the bounty when times were good. Grandfather explains death as a resting period before blooming again, a "small transformation in life" rather than a permanent unknown.ĥ.
These are common and comforting images that a young Anaya can relate to. To help him understand the process of death as a function of life, Anaya's grandfather explains death through images of nature and the changing of seasons. When a young boy is dragged to his death by a horse, young Anaya is upset that death came to someone so young. How does Anaya's grandfather help him cope with the death of his young friend? This piece is intended as a celebration of all older generations (grandfathers and grandmothers) and the cultural values they passed on.Ĥ.
By relaying his personal experiences with his grandfather, Anaya shows examples of what the elders can pass on to younger generations. Anaya uses his own grandfather as an example. In this memoir, Anaya is celebrating the “elders,” which include all older generations and all future generations that will one day be old. The title of this memoir is "A Celebration of Grandfathers," not "A Celebration of My Grandfather." Why do you think Anaya made this distinction? Even nature’s tiny ants can become hostile and, when working as a community, can become threatening.ģ. Specifically, he means to pay attention to the Earth (nature) because, unless you show it respect, it can become unfriendly. Literally, Grandfather means “watch where you are going/standing,” or “pay better attention.” Figuratively, Grandfather means this in a more philosophical sense he is telling young Anaya to learn to pay attention to the world around him so that he can avoid danger. Order custom essay A Celebration of GrandfathersĪnaya’s grandfather says this to Anaya when he comes home as a young boy having been badly bitten by ants while working out in the fields.