The story Leaving Ireland behind is about a boy named Liam who is traveling with his mother to America in order to meet his father. Liam's family is affected by the great famine and two years earlier Liam's father had to go to America and get a job in New York. Although Liam's dad worked in a dangerous iron factory where the work was hard and the pay was bad he remained positive and he saved enough money for Liam and his mom to come to America. After a long journey their ship family arrives in New York and when Liam and his mother get off, they find Liam's dad waiting for them and Liam hugs him.
The story is set during the great famine, 1845 to 1852, in Ireland. The famine was caused mainly by a potato disease called late blight which destroyed the leaves and roots of a potato plant. In Ireland, Potatoes were the main crop, so when the late blight came, around one million people died and 1.5 million Irish people had to seek refuge in America during 1845 and 1855. In the story, Liam and his family have to leave Ireland because life there was very difficult and had been greatly impacted by the famine. This happened to thousands of other Irish people who could not pay for food or housing so they went to America for a better life. The great famine caused immense suffering and death, but people responded by going to a place where they could build a new dream.
Liam's dad's story is representative of many other Irish immigrants who traveled to America for a better life. Although they faced hardships and discrimination, they still worked hard and kept their determination which helped them survive and make a living. The dad had to go to America and he got a job in an iron factory where although the pay was bad and the work was dangerous, he tried his best and now Liam's whole family can come to America. Although Liam's father was living a struggling life, with a positive attitude he supported him to get through all of his obstacles and discrimination. While life was hard for most immigrants, their sacrifice was for the possibility that one day their whole family could go to America and make a better life.
The American dream is the belief that anyone can achieve big dreams and succeed in life through hard work and determination. No matter where you come from, every immigrant has this dream of freedom and success. Like Liam's family, Ke Huy Quan, who won the oscar for best supporting actor, was also a refugee who came to America. Ke Huy Quan is a powerful example of an immigrant who achieved the American dream. We can't even comprehend how much hardship he had to go through in order to be standing on Hollywood's biggest stage with an Oscar. Liam and Ke Huy Quan's story tells us that anyone can achieve the American dream if you try hard enough. There's no limits for possibility.
The book Leaving Ireland Behind is a very thoughtful story which gives us an idea about how people survived during the Great Famine and the importance of the American Dream. The great famine caused starvation and death, so then immigration became the only choice for people affected by the potato blight. America at that time was a place that welcomed everyone so naturally, Irish people came there. However, they faced discrimination and difficult living conditions. Liam's father is just one example of thousands of Irish immigrants who also came to America for a better life. They have the hope of freedom from hunger and a second chance at life. They worked hard with a positive attitude and they eventually succeeded in bringing their whole family to America. Immigration or refugees life Liam's father and Ke Huy Quan all have the same dream, that one day they could succeed as long as they persevered and tried hard enough. This is the American Dream.
Source
Comments