Topic > Literary Analysis of Under the Feet of Jesus by Helena Maria Viramontes

In Viramontes' novel, “Under the Feet of Jesus,” Estrella's, or the main character's, nature of resilience is a result of her previous experiences of life and the trials and tribulations he endured throughout his life. Viramontes reveals this through the use of selective detail, figurative language, and tone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the passage, Viramontes asks the reader a question. The question is, “So, what is this?” This question is significant because it indicates how thirsty Estrella is for knowledge and not much that she wants to discover. The scene begins with Estrella looking through Perfecto's toolbox. It's trying to figure out what all the tools are and what they do. He describes them as “foreign” and “funny shaped.” The tone is immediately one of confusion. It becomes increasingly clear that Estrella is frustrated with her own lack of knowledge, and this confusion turns to anger. Her lack of knowledge overwhelms her and therefore she is unable to control her emotions. The selective details the author adds to the work also help make Estrella seem resilient to the reader. The narrator adds an additional story that happened earlier in Estrella's life. This story will give us an insight into her character and why she is so easily frustrated and confused. The verb used in this case is “hate,” which gives the story the impression that this is a strong and passionate situation. This tone is the tone that the story will follow for the rest of time. Estrella honestly says that one of her teachers “never gave her the information she wanted.” As a result, Estrella is left in the dark about certain things, through no fault of her own. This is also why she is so curious. The figurative language also gives the characters an idea of ​​his resilient nature. An example of this is that she calls her trachers “crumpled Kleenex”, this shows her outspoken personality, she is willing to say what needs to be said. When PERfecto enters Estrella's life, he begins to develop further. For example, she asks questions about his tools, this may be a seemingly insignificant detail but it shows Estrella's thirst for knowledge. This thirst is helped to be kept alive by Perfecto. The selective details also establish a solid foundation necessary to realize the context of Estrella's life. Figurative language can provide the emotional background we need, and want, for the story. The selective details are structured so that you can learn just enough about Estrella's life without knowing too much. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, the tone and didlouges in the passage are vital tools we need to fully understand the story. This helps the author to make the character perceive as it was intended to be perceived. She is a strong and resilient woman and this is made very clear throughout the passage. Works Cited Castillo, A. (1996). Latin gastronomy: prose and poetry. W. W. Norton & Company. Chávez, L. R. (2008). The Latino threat: Building immigrants, citizens, and the nation. Stanford University Press.Cisneros, S. (1991). The house on Mango Street. Vintage.González, J. (1995). Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America. Penguin Books.Heffernan, JAW (2017). A writer's reference. Bedford/St. Martin's.Herrera-Sobek, M. (ed.). (2005). Chicano Folklore: A Guide to the Folktales, Traditions, Rituals, and Religious Practices of Mexican Americans. Oxford University.