There's No Place Like Home 'The Story of Mom'

Abstract

Artist’s Question

- What could bring a person to abandon their own child? - Could you ever be the same after living in poverty for so long to living in middle class? - Why is it that America is considered the land of opportunity? - Could you ever be the same after moving to a different country? - Is it possible that a person can succeed educationally and financially after living in poverty? Title There's No Place Like Home Logline The story of a young girl trying to find her identity through her family and will do whatever it takes to have that. Synopsis A young Mirian living in poverty-stricken Ecuador has no idea who her father is. Her mother has left to be with her new husband leaving Mirian alone being raised by her ill grandmother. One day her estranged father wants to bring her to his life in America. He wants to repair a relationship with his daughter and her residency has been approved. Mirian is scared at first but her grandma convinces her of the amazing opportunities America has. Mirian, although reluctant at first agrees to go in order to feel belonging to a family for once. From then on in America she soon moves to a complex in Manhattan and finds out her father's new family doesn't grow to love her. With no English speaking skills and a lack of education Mirian struggles in America 1980s as she grows up. She grows up being left back in school, the rejection of her father’s new family, her father’s alcoholism, and lack of friends. After a major fight with her stepmother, she is forced to live with new relatives. She grows there beautifully and is loved. Once her father’s alcoholism turns for the worse, she visits him again and helps him, forgiving him, and tries to make a relationship work again. What If…? What if Mirian’s (m.c) dad comes to back to her country to brings her to his new home in America (in.in), and she agrees because she wants to belong to a family(want) and because she lives in poverty with her grandmother(world), but when living there she faces more problems with her new stepmother(opp.) who doesn’t accept her (conflict). What if Mirian’s(m.c) mother came back after leaving from getting married and offers her a place in her stepdad’s new house(in.in) in their country, and she agrees because she wants to belong to a family(want) and because she lives in poverty with her grandmother(world), but living there she clashes with her stepfather(opp.) who doesn’t accept her(conflict). What if Mirian’s(m.c) dad comes back to her country and brings her to his new home in America(in.in), and she agrees because she wants to belong to a family(want) and because she lives in poverty with her grandmother(world), but when living there she faces more poverty after her dad(opp.) loses his job and decides not to care for her anymore(conflict). World A farmland, Ecuador/ to a complex in Manhattan, New York No education in Ecuador, school is not a priority/ Public schools are horrible, education and the English language is hard for her in New York Character is young, naïve, curious of this new world It’s hard for her to adjust Homelife in Ecuador is poverty, no food, clothes, and she gets along with her grandmother, no mother is in her life at the moment Homelife in the complex is difficult as she struggles to make dad’s new family love her, is an outcast Notes on Genre - Biography - Education Plot - Domestic Drama - Social Drama - Maturation - Quest M.C.(S)? Mirian- a young teen who only longs to belong to a family. She grows up in Ecuador but moves to America in hopes of repairing a relationship with her estranged father. Inner Problem Shown (Inner Flaw?) She’s very naïve and too nice. She doesn’t stand up for herself. Inciting Incident Her dad unexpectedly comes back to Ecuador in hopes of bringing Mirian to America with him. Want/Goal? Wants to fit in with her father’s family. Empathy? She’s a young girl who hasn’t grown up with her parents for a long time. She has no guidance on how to live. Opponent? Stepmother (Judy)- Has children with Mirian’s father. She despises Mirian for ruining her established family. Opposition? Self, new family, new place to adjust, language, school, culture Ally? Flo- other grandmother from Mirian's dad's side who gives her the reality Abuela- grandmother who raised Mirian Luis- uncle who takes her in Ruth- aunt who takes her in and teaches her responsiblity Ciara- friend from school in America Self-Revelation/Climatic Choice? She has a falling out with her stepmother and Mirian leaves for good. Resolution? She visits her father in his illness and repairs their relationship. Change? She changes to acting mature around the situation. Outer Characterization Vs. Inner Character Her outer is she is an adolescent girl living in poverty. Her inner is she is optimistic, brave, mature, smart, a bit naïve, caring. Suspense (Tension) My main character is too trusting of people because she is young and wants acceptance in any way that she can. Suspense can be created in that she is going to America to be with her father. The main character and the audience don’t know what she risks there. Will it be better or worse? Life Values acceptance vs rejection from her father and his family, happiness vs being miserable in adjusting to her new country, losing family vs gaining new a family in which she leaves her own family in her country to be with a new one, poverty vs a wealthy life Story? Mirian’s dad comes to back to her country to brings her to his new home in America. She says yes because she wants to belong to a family for once and because she lives in poverty. But then living there she has major problems with her new stepmother who doesn’t accept her at all.

Thematic? Alienation Moral Argument Either a person becomes successful because they moved to America or a person becomes unsuccessful because they moved to America. IN IN Mirian’s father comes back to Ecuador to take her to his established home in America WANT She wants to belong to a family, to be accepted in her father’s family. Act I Climax She arrives in America and finds out her new home is awful. Her father is an alcoholic and her new stepmother treats her as an outcast. Act II Climax Her father must decide between his daughter and new wife. The stepmom wants the daughter to leave the house. The father agrees to the stepmom’s decision. Act III Climax After finding out her father’s condition worsens and needs help from being an alcoholic, she must decide whether to forgive him and come back. She does. Surrounding Characters Abuela- raised Mirian since she was a baby and has worked hard to provide for her, even through poverty Gregory- father who doesn't treat Mirian like a daughter Christina-oppositional older half sister Liti-oppositional half sister Robert- a baby half brother Julie- oppositional half sister Ciara- friend from school, a rebel Luis- uncle who takes her in Ruth- aunt who takes her in, makes her responsible Ronald- school bully Flo- grandma who teaches her values but is harsh Mrs. Vargas- mean schoolteacher Sub-Plots None 5 Large Actions

Moves to America to live with her father Tries to adjust to American life and her father with his new family Argues with her father and stepmother and is forced out Learns to grow up with the help of her aunt and uncle Forgives her father after kicking her out creating an existing relationship

Time Flashback- 1972, 5 years old 1984-1986 Years/ 16 years old- 18 Time is continuous Quick flashbacks to childhood Minute to minute “Collection” Research This is a summary of my mother’s responses. I mainly questioned her on her idea of why does she think America is considered the land of the opportunity? Her explanation was that to her America was new way for her to be at home. Back then career didn’t have much meaning to her as she came to America in the 80s. She was a teen from Ecuador. Basically, in Ecuador she grew up with no father. Her parents were in their early teens and they knew nothing of parenting. His family was embarrassed to be associated with them as her mother was a working poor girl for his family. His mother sent him to America to “straighten him out” for his behavior. So, my mother only lived with her mother and her grandmother but as soon as her mother married, she left her. My mother lived years with her grandmother. It was until years later her father came back and offered her a second chance with his new life he established in America. Going from living in poverty with basically only having one or two pair of clothes to daddy buying her anything she wanted she was happy. But of course, happiness may not last and deep down she didn't feel loved. She soon discovered her father was an alcoholic, his new wife and children treated her cruelly, she was uneducated and so had trouble in her new school. In conclusion to her response, it was an opportunity to meet her father and be in a “family” that lived in what she considered normal. What I concluded as a thought was although it was still terrible to live with her father it was way better than what she had, and she accepted that later on in life. She didn't at first. She accepted that chance to live in America. People around the world hear about this country and want to be in it for its freedom in the public but can that really change a someone to mature and be a better person.