27 thoughts on “Asynchronous Assignment on Bodega”

1. The first thing I thought of when I began reading bodega was a passing comment from my parent on the idea of having a deli, “Ay, no. Es muy esclavizante.” Slavework, basically. Not Nelida’s exact words but what she expressed in her dwelling. Nelida is desperate to hear again from her son, who moved back to Puerto Rico and clearly has no intention of returning to the States, so she spends her only hour of peace of mind searching for his latest sour, ungrateful letter which her husband has hidden from her. An attempt at protecting her, he told her once. Because Nelida has heart problems, problems caused by years of heartbreak from losing her only son to the horror of sacrificing his life to the store. A fear that personifies in his parents, having grown up seeing them live a life he didn’t desire, and Nelida understands that. (Irrelevant, but that doesn’t give him an excuse to badmouth his parents, not after the way they treated him so kindly. He literally has no reason, bodega scare included). Her son’s absence has created a tension that has affected everyone, the son he left for them to raise for him, and already mentioned the neglect to his parents as well. As consuming and tiring as the bodega is, all of the hours it subtracts from Nelida’s personal life helps diminish the tension even if just a little. Like, in the beginning, Nelida tries to get her husband to at the very least talk to her about the latest letter, but he dismisses that mentioning their work and the inconvenience of the hour for such a weighted conversation. And also how, with her also acting as security guard of the store, taking vigilance for any misdeed, it gives her no time to let Nelida’s anxious thoughts take reign. In a way, the store is protecting her more than everyone else, as it seems the situation with her son has become almost an obsession, or would that be just her making up for the hours of lost time for herself? Either way, while reading even I felt her overwhelm and worry. Mm, no wonder she’s having health problems. But its understandable.

   1. I understand the idea of Nelida’s implication of working at a deli as slave work as she got a lot of pain as a result (whether direct or indirect) and really got no response. The doctor not giving a care about her heartache shows the bad treatment she receives.

   2. Hi Nathalie, through reading the short story, I also realized that even though her son has left them, Nelida still wishes for him to return, she still kept his room the way it is even though it is used by Esteban right now, she would tell good stories about her son to Esteban because she wants them to be connected when he will be back one day. “If only he would return, he would see how I keep everything intact.” There’s a part where she pretends that their customers will miss their bodega if they were ever going to take a break because then they will not be able to use food stamps for non-food products, however she knows clearly that customers will just walk to another bodega, just like her son, she wanted to be a special, irreplaceable person to them, but in reality, she is replaceable, just like the bodega.

   3. Hi Nathalie,

      The way I saw the bodega was a bit different from your interpretation. I believe the bodega is a prison for Nelida and it symbolizes the diasporic longings for immigrants. In other words, the bodega symbolizes tiring or endless work for immigrants as Nelida states she and her husband work every single day and fear of going on vacation and losing customers. The bodega symbolizes a prison for immigrants in the U.S. that stay here to work but long to go back to their home country. This explains why Nelida’s son doesn’t come back to America because Nelida believes he doesn’t want to be tied down to this life of running a bodega which symbolizes a bigger picture for working immigrants. That is why many people don’t end up migrating to the U.S. because it is a lot of work and dedication to make an honest living here. Nelida deals with a lot of pain from her son going back to Puerto Rico where she wants to be and reunite her family but has a store in America to take care of. I believe her story is relatable to many immigrants who come to America for work and prosperity yet have a strong tie to wanting to return to their home country because of what they lose for staying here.

   4. Hey there Nathalie! I agree that the bodega does subside the tension between the family members as it prevents them from actually taking a break to discuss what is going on. Managing the bodega is very time-consuming for Nelida and her husband. Their bodega opens a little earlier than others causing the couple to have an hour to themselves to set up their store before they greet customers. The little time Nelida does have to herself is spent either with her grandson or thinking about her son and his letters that are hidden from her. Nelida’s son is very aware of how big a responsibility the bodega is and has delayed his return by staying in Puerto Rico. His delayed return has caused Nelida heartache because her son is back home in Puerto Rico while she and her husband are stuck in New York left to work in the bodega that is beginning to become a burden in their old age. Because bodegas are commonplace in New York City she knows that if they were to take a vacation they’ll most likely lose their customers (and money) to another deli around the block. The bodega is so time-consuming that it prevents this family from actually communicating and living the life they desire.

   5. I definitely agree with you on the notion that while the bodega (deli) does trap Nelida in a way, it does also provide her with a unwilling but necessary escape from her worries and anxieties regarding the status of her family unit. I think it is important to consider the role of the illusive son in the family unit. Nelida’s son is often mentioned, very much in passing, and discussions about the events that transpired leading to his departure are rather vague, we do not learn many particular details about the son. Throughout “Bodega,” the family deli is cited as the main reason for the son’s departure but I think it is difficult to justify leaving behind a child in a foreign area because of a desire to ‘live a better life’ than one’s parents. In a way, the bodega also serves as a buffer for the son; the deli provides him with a scapegoat to blame, to cite as an excuse for his failure to take responsibility for the raising of his own child. And while Nelida and her son both seem to have expressed their ideas that the bodega limits and holds them back, ultimately, it is the bodega that, as Nelida says, “keeps them off the opposite side of the street,” referring to the housing projects designed to provide affordable housing to struggling families.

   6. Hi Nathalie!

      I agree with your, but also with what Emily said. For Nelida the bodega is everything that she has to ensure that her family will have a better life, and yes sadly she is replaceable. But I saw this to be the story of almost every immigrant, having to work long and tiring hours in hopes that one day you’ll escape the prison that is having to work relentlessly. Even though Nelinda loves her son and wishes to hear from him, I can image that she knows that he hates the way of life that she has, which is why I think she wants to hear more from him. She is working so hard for a better life, while her son disagrees in working relentlessly, but like any other immigrant I believe she wants him to support her, because all she wants is to give him and their family a better life. It is such a shame that he treats his mother like that.

   7. Reading the text it was very interesting because I had a whole different perspective until I saw what you had to say. This idea that you exclaim about the heart as well as how her heartache plays a major role in the relationship dynamic. Her heart is weak and it puts a unique dynamic on the relationship between Nelida as well as her son. For me it displayed the selfishness of the son as he did not do enough to protect his family as they protected him. Yes they asked for a lot from him as well as a legacy as he did not ask for. She loves her son and she stresses about him constantly. It is a dangerous cycle as we see the nature of a son and mother relationship. She needs the store more than he does. It hurts to see someone be so obsessed with her son without knowing the way he perceives and treats her. She deserves more and she will constantly see the most out of her son. The expectations between both son and mother is what ruined their relationship with no hope of fixing what is going on.

2. Option 2:

   Bodega corner stores to me are a representation of what I call home because they are till this day an essential part of New York City, especially in low income neighborhoods as the items sold in bodegas are affordable and very convenient.The central family tensions in the story stems from Nelida’s son abandoning his family In United States in order to pursue his life in his hometown of Puerto Rico, permanently after finishing his services in the Army.He promised his parents that he’ll back after his service in the army was done but, he broke his promise.Not only did he abandon his parents but, his own son too,leaving him to be raised by his parents in the US.His six years absence has caused his son to feel alone and it has also caused Nelida’s heart condition to worsen as she desperately searches for her son’s letter that was hidden by her husband.Nelida’s husband hid the letters her son wrote to her because he believes that it will be bad for health.The bodega has sheltered her in the best way because she uses her free time looking for the letters and her being in the store is very therapeutic decreasing her anxiety.If Nelida’s son have returned to her after his service she wouldn’t have felt desperate searching to connect with him.

   1. I agree with you. If Nelida didn’t have the bodega to keep her distracted. she would lose it. Honestly if the bodega didn’t exist, the parents would have some other way of making income and the son would ran away either way. I believe the son just doesn’t have the same energy as his father, the urge to prosper. This bodega is helping them feed themselves and the rest of the community. It might take a toll on Nelida, but she needs something to feed her ego, to feel important. Since her only son keeps on breaking her heart through his letters. It breaks her heart to see her grandson grow up without a father and eventually forget who he is.

   2. Hey Brian, I agree that bodegas are an essential part of NYC. I don’t know a single NYC native who hasn’t been in a bodega. Bodegas are so convenient because they have a lot of items that are cheap. If I want a quick breakfast on the go, I’m going to a bodega. Commenting on Nelida’s son, I feel like he’s somewhat in the wrong. Six years is too long not to visit your mother and it’s not like he can’t. I’m sure he was paid for his service and also Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so I don’t think he needs a passport to go and see his mom.

3. Amina Gautier portrays the Brooklyn neighborhood where Nelida’s bodega is located as a place that is necessary for the community. Nelida’s bodega is where people get their morning coffee, buttered rolls, cigarettes and schoolkids buying a snacks for school. The Brooklyn neighborhood has local businesses such as Botanicas, discount stores, Chinese restaurant, liquor store, candy store and more. I would say that the Bodega is located in a low income neighborhood in Brooklyn particular in the projects since Amina mentions, “On either side of the projects directly facing their stores, identical housing complexes stretch out to the corner of Bradford and Van Siclen Avenues.” Nelida and her husbands Bodega is the bodega that open up early compared to the other businesses because it shows how essential the Bodega is to the neighborhood compared to the other local businesses around the neighborhood. Bodegas are essential to low income neighborhoods because in a way food can be cheaper compare to supermarkets. Also, most likely there are more bodegas in a low income neighborhood than there are supermarkets.

   1. Hi Roxanna,
      I agree with what you said about bodegas being an essential part of any community. For many people living in NYC stopping by one of their local bodegas is part of their morning routine. The bodega in the story does seem to be located in a low-income neighborhood because Nelida mentions that other store owners arrive from nicer areas of the city. This emphasizes that Nelida’s store is special since they live in that same community.

   2. Hi Roxanna! I agree with what you wrote, especially when concluding that this is an establishment located in a low-income area, through the descriptions that were given by the author. It definitely is an essential business, and many of the customers have grown accustomed to them being there, therefore creating a sense of loyalty and a bond. Expanding on this idea of what makes this bodega particularly important, they offer additional services that other places may not. For instance, they accept WIC for not only food but other nonfood essentials, as well as offering credit to clients who perhaps don’t have the means to buy food at that current moment. Amina Gautier’s portrait of a Brooklyn neighborhood in the 90s also expresses a tight-knit community, all understanding each other’s struggles, and being a working-class area. I would also add that this reminds me a lot of how many places in New York are, especially for people that were born and raised here. There is this glorified perception of the city, but rarely do places and people who have established themselves here for many years ever make an appearance in this perception of NYC. Overall this text offers new insight into how important bodegas are not only as a place to get your morning coffee but as a place to connect with others and get your essentials.

   3. I agree with your comment about bodegas being essential in the community. Weather you need a quick drink or a bite to eat bodegas always come in clutch. Bodegas are a cheaper way to get the stuff you need for survival.

4. When one receives a letter from their child there is much that is said in the letter but at the same time, it leaves the parent (in this case) with much unease as it only scratches the surface as to what is really going on. The letter sent by the son of Nélida and her husband develops much of the plot in this section of the text. After the son has been sent away to serve, the mother has longed for the day that he returns as any mother would in a similar situation. The son has instead decided to stay in Puerto Rico leaving the mother to take care of his son with her husband. Ultimately this leaves the mother in the predicament of wanting to bring her family together but being unable to due to all the implications set in place. The inclusion of the bodega also seems to add to this dilemma of hers as she is unable to just leave it and go to her son as in short it will leave her without customers in the long term and she would eventually face bankruptcy. The bodega in short always keeps her working and vigilant and with the little time she has left is usually tending to her grandson and husband. Going back to this notion of always working, this is what the son fears will happen to him and thus wants to avoid that at all costs. The husband contributes to the instability as he does not muster the courage to talk about the letter with Nélida, this only seems to tear at both of them and cannot be good for their relationship. The son appears to be inconsiderate in this case as he is being unappreciative of everything the parents have done for him. They care for his child and he does not have the decency of at least visiting them once in a while even though knowing that his parents are unable to go. Frankly, this just comes down to ignorance on his part. Despite this one can see that the family is deeply hurt by these variables set in place and them being unable to do much as any attempt to step away from the bodega will only continue to add to their problems.

   1. Eric, I agree with your reading of “Bodega” and the idea that Nelida’s bodega keeps her busy with little time for herself. The family tensions add to the work Nelida has to do as she has to search for the letter her husband hid from her. The story mentions that the only time she has to herself is the hour before the bodega opens (then her time belongs to the neighborhood and to her husband and grandson), yet she spends most of that hour searching for the letter, which she never finds. It’s clear that her son’s abandonment of her family has taken a toll on the family, Nelida especially. The Bodega serves as a constant place of work for Nelida, but it also serves as a hiding place for the letter, which prevents Nelida from reading her son’s harsh words; It both hurts and protects her.

5. The bodega is located in the projects and it’s a place thats pretty much a necessity for the neighborhood. The locals get their necessities such as their morning coffee, cigarettes and food at Nelidas bodega because it’s convenient for them and the prices are competitive. The way they describe their bodega takes your imagination to your local bodega with a Chinese restaurant, liquor store and laundromat nearby. They describe the public housing surrounding them and how it’s calm during the opening time but as customers come in it becomes stressful to operate.

6. OPTION TWO

   The central family tension in the story definitely has to do with their son leaving the family, and more than that the fact that he has left back to the homeland while his parents must work to raise his son for him. Although their son, is the clear and obvious antagonist in this story, Nelida does not see him in that way whatsoever. She loves her son, and even speaks fondly about him to her grandson. She longs for her family being reunited one day, and strongly believes that he will come back but in each letter he states that he won’t. That is why her husband doesn’t allow her to read them. In many ways the bodega is the reason they cannot go and visit or find their son. Nelida says that they are committed to staying with the store because their customers would be lost without them, the reality being that they cannot afford to leave the store alone. They do not have someone to take care of it, which is why they cannot visit Puerto Rico. The father and the son, definitely have the most strained relationship. The father, doesn’t forgive him in the way that Nelida does and if they were to reconnect, I do not think it would be a happy rekindling.

7. Option 3:
   Identify and expand on the immigrant/diasporic longings presented by Gautier in her story.
   Nelida’s hopes and dreams are in a way being kept imprisoned by the bodega. When I was reading this story, I understood that Nelida has a love/hate relationship with her bodega, but diving further into that she has a longing for her son. Aside from this longing, I can’t help but wonder what else she is longing to do or be. As an immigrant woman she struggles with working and finding a balance between her family and her bodega. She seems to have found it, but at the same time she has to confront the fact that she is missing her son.
   Nelida immigrated to the U.S., but toward the end of the story she longs to be in Puerto Rico, in her childhood home. I think overall she just wishes to be free and in the comfort of her home instead of confined within the four walls of her and her husband’s store.

8. Option 1: Elaborate on Amina Gautier’s portrait of a Brooklyn neighborhood in the 90s through her description of the protagonists’ bodega.

   Throughout the beginning of this short story, we’re able to see some forms of imagery and metaphoric languages that give you a clear picture of what life was in the 90’s in Brooklyn New York. The description of the daily life in the 90’s was shown so concretely as we’ve seen where she Amina begins speaking about the sky. I feel that this was a very significant part because it describes how the sky isn’t a threat however, Amina watches it anyway. I feel that the description strongly demonstrates the mindset and sort of maybe the conditions/safety in that moment. Amina also discusses how her family is one of the first people to begin business in the morning. She mentioned, before any of the other stores are up and running she’s already served her morning crowd with coffee, cigarettes, butter roles, and also the crowd of children who roam through the store for the sweet treats. My response to many of the descriptions of life in Brooklyn reminds me of the life I sort of live in today and back in the early 2000’s, from the corner delis who serve avena (oatmeal) and warm coffee and also breakfast empanadas. In a way, reading this story felt more like something that I was able to view from Amina’s eyes.

9. Immediately from reading the story I can tell that Nelida feels very isolated in her community. She mentions how her people are the ones doing the hard work, while the rest of the people who spend their days in the community are still sleeping in nicer neighborhoods. She mentions how the other immigrants live in other boroughs and only make their way to where she lives because they are obligated to do so. This also transfers to the way their bodega works. Unlike the other businesses, they close earlier, and don’t sell extras like Italian ice or have slot machines. She makes it clear that her family prioritizes spending quality time with one another. Their store is a representation of their culture and what it is like to be a part of their family. For example, they sell majority latin food and keep things like Goya products stocked at all times. We have seen this in many of the readings we have done in class; Nelida thinks of her home country Puerto Rico fondly, then explains that her husband couldn’t or didn’t feel the same way and was okay leaving it all behind. I sense there was tension, as she mentions how she now knows he never intended to go back. Overall, her days feel cyclical, and this sets the tone for the rest of the story, while also giving the reader an accurate representation of what life is like in this community for latinos.

   1. I agree that Nelida definitely feels isolated in her community, and the bodega is a big representation of her culture. I think the bodega serves as a sort of crutch for her, as it is the one thing she has to give her a purpose and keep her grounded in New York. Not only does it give the reader an idea of her values, as she closes early to spend time with her family and carries products that are important to her culture, but it helps her to feel valued and important to others. Something Nelida is lacking in her life is a sense of belonging, since she misses Puerto Rico and having her son in her life so much. So having the bodega where she knows people in the community depend on her and she has someone to provide for, helps her feel like she has a purpose and fills in the gaps where she’s missing those feelings in her personal and family life.

10. OPTION TWO: What are the central family tensions in the story? How does the work at the bodega serve as a buffer to prevent antagonistic family members from coming into contact with each other?

    In “Bodega” you can see some central family themes of tension throughout the short story. The story is about Nelida and her husband who run a convience store across the housing projects. They plan and dreamt of one day they son Esteban to take over the business and make a life for himself one day in the states. But when he was just 14 years of age he fled to Puerto Rico to join the army and had made the decision to leave his son back in the states with is parents. Despite leaving his family behind and going to fight back at home, his parents specifically his mom still has hope for him to come back and be reunited with his family. As a parent you want the best for your kids and you can see how difficult it is for them to see there son leave and adjust to a life without him there. Additionally, you can see how his relationship with his father has kind of disintegrated over time because of there long lasting conflicts and disagreements.

11. Delis and bodegas are hubs of culture for people in typically low income, immigrant neighborhoods that bridge a gap in culture from home and US assimilation. Where I live on Long Island; Brentwood, is a low income, predominantly Latinx town, on the otherwise, white Long Island. There are delis everywhere in Brentwood, ran by people of varying backgrounds, and are providers of “cheap” goods and food from our home countries. Delis are a pillars in Brentwood, and it’s hard to find one outside of Brentwood in towns that are not home to minority communities.

12. OPTION 3:
    Through Gautier’s story we can see how immigrants in this country are forced to choose this life and take a risk. Similar to Dan-el’s story we see a mother who comes here and has to force her way into making ends meet. Her son leaves to go back to Puerto Rico and with this she is essentially left alone. Her husband is present but you can also tell this character has a sense of independence and her husband plays the complimentary piece, when the letter comes and they both “agree” to the obvious lie her husband tells her when the letter arrives. This character is a fighter but she is only strong because her situation is very much “do or die.” I think that her excuse of the timing shows her emotions being in this place, she is drained and this cold foreign air is just not her style of living. Her sons absence destroys her and it makes her even more distraught, her husband tries to comfort her with saying the son left due to his being ungrateful but in her realization the truth is told to us and it is a dark one. She is forever going to be stuck in this hole in the bodega and her son did not want to be in this same cycle, being in this country trapped here working here in a bodega is not the ideal life for him.

13. Option2
    The bodega represents a soft space for Nelida. Nelida and her husband dedicate their time into the bodega and caring for their grandchild. The bodega isn’t like a typical bodega that’s open till late because Nelida focuses on watching her grandson. Nelida’s bodega is open to all but Nelida is hoping to hear from her son. The bodega is maybe a place that she thinks her son will walk into one day. The bodega is a little escape and a place of hope for Nelida. The bodega holds significance for the residents that live around it because it’s located by the projects which are low income apartments. The bodega is essential to the residents nearby.

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