Book Post #2: How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents

       On the second paper clip section of "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez, one main theme that i picked up as I read was the distinction between America and the Dominican Republic. As one nation has more freedom and more reign to do what one wants, the other is old-fashioned, meaning they still believe in old ways. Men control the women in that nation (Dominican Republic); women barely have any rights or any say in things,  like back in history where women couldnt do the things the opposite sex could. This distinction made the Four Sisters act differently. In America they experienced many things that they probally couldnt back on their Island. For example, smoking weed, and hanging out with boys more often were some things that they got to do. They became independent and showed that they could handle the "American life."
       Back home, the girls experienced things differently. Men had the right to tell a lady what she could or could not do. They had the right to take advantage of a lady and wouldnt be punished for it but instead praised. One character, a male named Manuel Gustavo, is one of those men who was raised in the Dominican Republic and who was taught that men have the "upper hand" in their relationships. Fifi, the sister that is involved with Manuel, is treated poorly whenever he is around her. Blind to the situation, Fifi's other three sisters decided to step in and try and talk some sense into Manuel, telling him that women have rights also in the Dominican Republic. Manuel replies back with a clever response that stumps the three sisters: "Yes, women have rights, but men wear the pants" (122). Once again another example of a man shutting up a lady and her opinion (or in this case a man and three women).
      The girls go to having complete, or almost complete, freedom in America to having almost none at all back on their Homeland. Stuck between these two places i wanted to know, do they ever get the two places mixed up and maybe are too wild on their Island or too conservative when back in America? They seem to be used to both places but i think that the girls may like America more because they feel they have more rights than they would if they were home.