My family's slave alex tizon pdf

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​ ​Nayeli​ ​Vasquez

WR​ ​1​ ​(64855)

1​ ​September​ ​2017

My​ ​Family's​ ​Slave

She​ ​was​ ​brought​ ​in​ ​by​ ​a​ ​relative,​ ​Lieutenant​ ​Tom,​ ​fooled​ ​she​ ​could​ ​have​ ​food​ ​and​ ​shelter

only​ ​if​ ​she​ ​would​ ​commit​ ​to​ ​the​ ​safekeeping​ ​of​ ​Lt.​ ​Tom’s​ ​daughter.​ ​Little​ ​did​ ​she​ ​know,​ ​she

would​ ​be​ ​trapped​ ​as​ ​a​ ​servant;​ ​cooking,​ ​grooming,​ ​moping​​ ​​etc.​​ ​​for​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​her​ ​life.​ ​Alex

Tizon,​ ​a​ ​journalism​ ​professor​ ​at​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Oregon,​ ​was​ ​greatly​ ​revered​ ​and​ ​admired.

Throughout​ ​​ ​his​ ​time,​ ​he​ ​shared​ ​a​ ​Pulitzer​ ​Prize​ ​in​ ​1997​ ​and​ ​served​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Seattle​ ​Bureau​ ​Chief

of​ ​​The​ ​Los​ ​Angeles​ ​Times.​​ ​He​ ​was​ ​galvanized​ ​to​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​all​ ​people​ ​had​ ​within​ ​them​ ​an

“epic”​ ​story.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​article​ ​“My​ ​Family's​ ​Slave”,​ ​Alex​ ​Tizon,​ ​child​ ​of​ ​three,​ ​is​ ​adequately​ ​raised

by​ ​his​ ​family's​ ​long​ ​time​ ​“slave”,​ ​Eudocia​ ​Tomas​ ​Pulido,​ ​otherwise​ ​known​ ​as​ ​Lola.​ ​Lola,​ ​4​ ​feet

11​ ​inches​ ​with​ ​mocha-brown​ ​skin​ ​and​ ​almond​ ​eyes,​ ​is​ ​brought​ ​in​ ​by​ ​Tyson's​ ​grandfather,

Lieutenant​ ​Tomas​ ​Asuncion,​ ​as​ ​a​ ​gift​ ​to​ ​Tizon’s​ ​mother​ ​at​ ​the​ ​age​ ​of​ ​twelve.​ ​Lola​ ​fed,​ ​groomed,

and​ ​dressed​ ​his​ ​mother​ ​and​ ​fanned​ ​her​ ​to​ ​sleep​ ​at​ ​night.​ ​Despite​ ​Lolas​ ​great​ ​qualities​ ​and

attentiveness,​ ​she​ ​was​ ​taken​ ​for​ ​granted​ ​and​ ​treated​ ​crudely,​ ​taking​ ​blame​ ​of​ ​other​ ​people's

actions.​ ​Through​ ​Tizon’s​ ​eyes,​ ​Lola​ ​is​ ​more​ ​of​ ​a​ ​mom​ ​than​ ​his​ ​real​ ​mom​ ​was.​ ​As​ ​he​ ​mentions,

“when​ ​I​ ​was​ ​sick​ ​and​ ​too​ ​weak​ ​to​ ​eat,​ ​she​ ​chewed​ ​my​ ​food​ ​for​ ​me​ ​and​ ​put​ ​the​ ​small​ ​pieces​ ​in​ ​my

mouth​ ​to​ ​swallow.”​ ​In​ ​“My​ ​Family's​ ​Slave”,​ ​author​ ​Alex​ ​Tizon​ ​uses​ ​description​ ​to​ ​build​ ​imagery

which​ ​allows​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​first​ ​hand​ ​how​ ​life​ ​was​ ​for​ ​Lola​ ​and​ ​also​ ​employs​ ​shifting

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tones​ ​which​ ​permits​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​to​ ​experience​ ​his​ ​feelings​ ​about​ ​her,​ ​helping​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​his

purpose​ ​of​ ​exposing​ ​his​ ​family’s​ ​cruelty​ ​toward​ ​Lola​ ​and​ ​at​ ​the​ ​same​ ​time​ ​honoring​ ​her.

To​ ​grasp​ ​a​ ​first​ ​hand​ ​perspective​ ​of​ ​how​ ​the​ ​outset​ ​of​ ​Lola’s​ ​life​ ​was,​ ​Tizon​ ​uses​ ​literary

devices​ ​such​ ​as​ ​imagery,​ ​allowing​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​to​ ​paint​ ​a​ ​vivid​ ​picture.​ ​In​ ​addition,​ ​with​ ​the​ ​use

of​ ​pathos​ ​Tizon​ ​guides​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​to​ ​respect​ ​and​ ​sympathize​ ​for​ ​Lola​ ​when​ ​she​ ​is​ ​being

physically​ ​and​ ​verbally​ ​abused​ ​by​ ​Tizon’s​ ​parents.​ ​Often,​ ​a​ ​slave's​ ​daily​ ​routine​ ​would​ ​consist​ ​of

starting​ ​early​ ​before​ ​everyone​ ​woke​ ​and​ ​completing​ ​their​ ​tasks​ ​after​ ​everyone​ ​went​ ​to​ ​bed.​ ​When

Lola​ ​was​ ​first​ ​brought​ ​as​ ​a​ ​gift​ ​to​ ​Tizon’s​ ​mother,​ ​who​ ​was​ ​12​ ​years​ ​old​ ​at​ ​the​ ​time,​ ​Lola​ ​would

feed,​ ​groom,​ ​and​ ​dress​ ​his​ ​mother,​ ​and​ ​at​ ​night​ ​would​ ​ever-so-lightly​ ​fan​ ​her​ ​to​ ​sleep.​ ​One

afternoon​ ​when​ ​Lt.​ ​Tom​ ​arrived​ ​home,​ ​he​ ​caught​ ​Tizon’s​ ​mother​ ​in​ ​a​ ​lie.​ ​Furiously,​ ​he​ ​ordered

her​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​on​ ​the​ ​table.​ ​In​ ​return,​ ​she​ ​cowardly​ ​told​ ​him​ ​Lola​ ​would​ ​serve​ ​her​ ​punishment,

dreading​ ​of​ ​what​ ​he​ ​might​ ​do.​ ​Lola,​ ​speechless,​ ​never​ ​would​ ​of​ ​thought​ ​Tizon’s​ ​mother​ ​would

do​ ​such​ ​a​ ​thing,​ ​looking​ ​at​ ​her​ ​pleadingly;​ ​however,​ ​deferential​ ​and​ ​obedient​ ​as​ ​always,​ ​quietly

walked​ ​over​ ​to​ ​the​ ​table​ ​and​ ​snagged​ ​onto​ ​the​ ​edge.​ ​Tizons​ ​grandfather​ ​raised​ ​his​ ​belt​ ​and

delivered​ ​12​ ​excruciating​ ​lashes,​ ​punctuating​ ​each​ ​one​ ​with​ ​a​ ​word.​ ​Viciously​ ​he​ ​yelled,​ ​“You.

Do.​ ​Not.​ ​Lie.​ ​To.​ ​Me.​ ​You.​ ​Do.​ ​Not.​ ​Lie.​ ​To.​ ​Me.”​ ​Lola​ ​made​ ​no​ ​sound.​ ​Despite​ ​drudgery​ ​as​ ​a

result​ ​of​ ​her​ ​hard​ ​work,​ ​Lola​ ​incessantly​ ​accepted​ ​the​ ​callous​ ​manner​ ​she​ ​was​ ​treated​ ​in.

In​ ​continuation,​ ​Tizon’s​ ​father​ ​came​ ​home​ ​one​ ​night​ ​to​ ​find​ ​his​ ​younger​ ​sister,​ ​Ling,​ ​had

missed​ ​dinner.​ ​He​ ​ragingly​ ​barked​ ​at​ ​Lola​ ​assuming​ ​she​ ​didn't​ ​try​ ​feeding​ ​her​ ​despite​ ​the​ ​fact

that​ ​she​ ​had​ ​the​ ​intention​ ​to.​ ​Lola​ ​implored​ ​she​ ​did​ ​try​ ​to​ ​get​ ​her​ ​to​ ​eat.​ ​In​ ​response,​ ​“Dad​ ​stood

over​ ​her​ ​and​ ​glared.​ ​Her​ ​feeble​ ​defense​ ​only​ ​made​ ​him​ ​angrier,​ ​and​ ​he​ ​punched​ ​her​ ​just​ ​below

the​ ​shoulder.​ ​Lola​ ​ran​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​room​ ​and​ ​I​ ​could​ ​hear​ ​her​ ​wailing​ ​an​ ​animal​ ​cry”​ ​(Tizon).​ ​The

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author’s​ ​use​ ​of​ ​hyperbole,​ ​juxtaposing​ ​her​ ​cry​ ​and​ ​one​ ​of​ ​an​ ​animal,​ ​provides​ ​a​ ​more​ ​profound

understanding​ ​of​ ​the​ ​misery​ ​faced​ ​in​ ​the​ ​household.​ ​More​ ​forward,​ ​in​ ​another​ ​occasion,​ ​after

Tizon​ ​had​ ​the​ ​most​ ​monumental​ ​argument​ ​with​ ​his​ ​mother​ ​in​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​Lola,​ ​her​ ​mother’s​ ​fear

of​ ​Lola​ ​stealing​ ​the​ ​children​ ​from​ ​her​ ​only​ ​grew​ ​worse.​ ​Repleted​ ​with​ ​jealousy,​ ​she​ ​made​ ​Lola

pay​ ​for​ ​it.​ ​“Mom​ ​drove​ ​her​ ​harder.​ ​Tormenting​ ​her​ ​by​ ​saying,​ ​“I​ ​hope​ ​you're​ ​happy​ ​now​ ​that

your​ ​kids​ ​hate​ ​me.”​ ​…​ ​Later​ ​she’d​ ​take​ ​Lola​ ​into​ ​a​ ​bedroom​ ​for​ ​a​ ​talk,​ ​and​ ​Lola​ ​would​ ​walk​ ​out

with​ ​puffy​ ​eyes.”​ ​With​ ​this​ ​being​ ​said,​ ​Tizon​ ​effectively​ ​demonstrates​ ​description​ ​to​ ​build

imagery​ ​to​ ​vividly​ ​express​ ​the​ ​torment​ ​Lola​ ​experienced​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​contempt​ ​his​ ​parents

expressed​ ​by​ ​verbally​ ​and​ ​physically​ ​abusing​ ​the​ ​only​ ​person​ ​who​ ​did​ ​everything​ ​around​ ​the

house.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​brutal​ ​injustice​ ​Lola​ ​endured,​ ​Tizon’s​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​with​ ​clear

description​ ​proves​ ​his​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​exposing​ ​his​ ​family's​ ​cruelty​ ​and​ ​animosity​ ​upon​ ​Lola.

Tizon’s​ ​use​ ​of​ ​tone​ ​carries​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​through​ ​his​ ​feelings​ ​about​ ​Lola​ ​which​ ​assist​ ​his

purpose​ ​of​ ​honoring​ ​Lola,​ ​yet​ ​at​ ​the​ ​same​ ​time​ ​expressing​ ​his​ ​guilt​ ​of​ ​not​ ​doing​ ​enough​ ​when​ ​he

had​ ​the​ ​chance.​ ​On​ ​May​ ​12,​ ​1964​ ​when​ ​the​ ​Tizon​ ​family​ ​had​ ​arrived​ ​in​ ​Los​ ​Angeles,​ ​Tizon

begins​ ​to​ ​say​ ​how​ ​Lola​ ​had​ ​been​ ​in​ ​his​ ​mother's​ ​life​ ​for​ ​21​ ​years.​ ​​ ​He​ ​then​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​to​ ​mention,​ ​“

In​ ​many​ ​ways​ ​she​ ​was​ ​more​ ​of​ ​a​ ​parent​ ​to​ ​me​ ​than​ ​either​ ​my​ ​mother​ ​or​ ​my​ ​father.​ ​Hers​ ​was​ ​the

first​ ​face​ ​I​ ​saw​ ​in​ ​the​ ​morning​ ​and​ ​the​ ​last​ ​one​ ​I​ ​saw​ ​at​ ​night…​ ​As​ ​a​ ​toddler,​ ​I​ ​refused​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to

sleep​ ​unless​ ​Lola​ ​was​ ​holding​ ​me,​ ​or​ ​at​ ​least​ ​nearby.”​ ​In​ ​this​ ​situation,​ ​his​ ​tone​ ​is​ ​intense​ ​with

feelings​ ​and​ ​is​ ​also​ ​loving​ ​because​ ​as​ ​a​ ​reader​ ​you​ ​can​ ​visualize​ ​how​ ​much​ ​Tizon​ ​appreciates​ ​her

and​ ​identify​ ​how​ ​much​ ​more​ ​of​ ​a​ ​mother​ ​figure​ ​she​ ​is.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​Tizon​ ​goes​ ​on​ ​by​ ​speaking

highly​ ​about​ ​Lola,​ ​“The​ ​woman​ ​who​ ​used​ ​to​ ​hum​ ​melodies​ ​as​ ​she​ ​rocked​ ​me​ ​to​ ​sleep,​ ​and​ ​when

I​ ​got​ ​older​ ​would​ ​dress​ ​and​ ​feed​ ​me​ ​and​ ​walk​ ​me​ ​to​ ​school​ ​in​ ​the​ ​mornings​ ​and​ ​pick​ ​me​ ​up​ ​in

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the​ ​afternoons.”​ ​​ ​Moreover,​ ​when​ ​his​ ​father​ ​assumes​ ​Lola​ ​did​ ​not​ ​feed​ ​his​ ​younger​ ​sibling,​ ​Tizon

has​ ​the​ ​urge​ ​to​ ​utter​ ​“Ling​ ​said​ ​she​ ​wasn't​ ​hungry”.​ ​Here,​ ​Tizon’s​ ​tone​ ​is​ ​defensive​ ​and​ ​frank.

Showing​ ​his​ ​love​ ​for​ ​Lola,​ ​he​ ​would​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​for​ ​her​ ​to​ ​his​ ​frightful​ ​parents​ ​and​ ​protect​ ​the​ ​only

person​ ​who​ ​does​ ​everything​ ​for​ ​him.​ ​In​ ​addition,​ ​he​ ​achieves​ ​his​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​honoring​ ​her​ ​by

showing​ ​the​ ​public​ ​how​ ​different​ ​he​ ​is​ ​to​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​his​ ​family.​ ​He​ ​is​ ​the​ ​only​ ​one​ ​in​ ​the​ ​article

who​ ​takes​ ​a​ ​stand​ ​for​ ​her​ ​in​ ​this​ ​example​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​when​ ​he​ ​takes​ ​a​ ​stand​ ​against​ ​his​ ​mother

in​ ​an​ ​argument​ ​involving​ ​Lola​ ​going​ ​to​ ​see​ ​a​ ​dentist.​ ​Lola​ ​had​ ​been​ ​50​ ​years​ ​old​ ​and​ ​had​ ​not

once​ ​gone​ ​to​ ​see​ ​a​ ​dentist​ ​for​ ​Tizon’s​ ​mom​ ​didn’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​the​ ​disruption​ ​and​ ​the

expense.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​comeback​ ​to​ ​his​ ​mother’s​ ​refutation​ ​he​ ​frustratedly​ ​says​ ​“...​ ​she​ ​would​ ​know​ ​all

about​ ​being​ ​a​ ​phony,​ ​…​ ​if​ ​she​ ​stopped​ ​feeling​ ​sorry​ ​for​ ​herself​ ​for​ ​one​ ​minute​ ​she'd​ ​see​ ​that​ ​Lola

could​ ​barely​ ​eat​ ​because​ ​her​ ​goddamn​ ​teeth​ ​were​ ​rotting​ ​out​ ​of​ ​her​ ​goddamn​ ​head…”​ ​With​ ​this

being​ ​said,​ ​Tizon​ ​is​ ​extremely​ ​frenetic​ ​with​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​his​ ​mother​ ​forbids​ ​to​ ​see​ ​Lola​ ​as​ ​a​ ​real

person​ ​and​ ​proceeds​ ​to​ ​make​ ​Lola​ ​pay​ ​for​ ​taking​ ​“away”​ ​her​ ​kids​ ​from​ ​her,​ ​attaining​ ​his​ ​purpose

of​ ​honoring​ ​his​ ​great​ ​friend.

Furthermore,​ ​the​ ​author​ ​reaches​ ​his​ ​motive​ ​by​ ​expressing​ ​his​ ​guilt​ ​he​ ​has​ ​through​ ​the​ ​use

of​ ​tone.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​when​ ​Tizon​ ​begins​ ​to​ ​realize​ ​what​ ​Lola’s​ ​title​ ​of​ ​the​ ​house​ ​is,​ ​he​ ​draws

a​ ​parallel​ ​in​ ​slave​ ​characters​ ​on​ ​TV​ ​and​ ​in​ ​movies.​ ​He​ ​proceeds​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​a​ ​snippet​ ​of​ ​a​ ​movie

called​ ​The​ ​Man​ ​Who​ ​Shot​ ​LIberty​ ​Valance​ ​where​ ​John​ ​Wayne​ ​plays​ ​Tom​ ​and​ ​has​ ​a​ ​servant

named​ ​Pompey.​ ​Pompey​ ​both​ ​fears​ ​and​ ​loves​ ​Tom​ ​and​ ​eventually​ ​mourns​ ​his​ ​death​ ​when​ ​Tom

dies.​ ​In​ ​a​ ​guilty​ ​tone​ ​Tizon​ ​states,​ ​“​ ​I​ ​remember​ ​thinking:​ ​Lola​ ​is​ ​Pompey,​ ​Pompey​ ​is​ ​Lola.”​ ​In

this​ ​example​ ​Tizon​ ​feels​ ​culpable​ ​that​ ​the​ ​one​ ​parallel​ ​he​ ​could​ ​draw​ ​Lola​ ​with​ ​is​ ​in​ ​a​ ​movie

where​ ​John​ ​Wayne​ ​has​ ​his​ ​own​ ​servant.​ ​Seeing​ ​the​ ​mistreatment​ ​Pompey​ ​goes​ ​into​ ​is​ ​the​ ​same

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treatment​ ​Lola​ ​goes​ ​through​ ​in​ ​their​ ​household.​ ​In​ ​another​ ​example,​ ​when​ ​Tizon​ ​and​ ​his​ ​family

moved​ ​to​ ​North​ ​of​ ​Seattle​ ​they​ ​lived​ ​across​ ​a​ ​street​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Misslers​ ​where​ ​he​ ​met​ ​his​ ​best

friend,​ ​Billy.​ ​In​ ​a​ ​short​ ​dialogue​ ​between​ ​Billy​ ​and​ ​Tizon,​ ​Billy​ ​asks​ ​“Why​ ​is​ ​she​ ​always

working?”​ ​In​ ​response​ ​Tizon​ ​says,​ ​“She​ ​likes​ ​to​ ​work.”​ ​Billy​ ​asks​ ​one​ ​more​ ​question​ ​“​ ​Your​ ​dad

and​ ​mom-why​ ​do​ ​they​ ​always​ ​yell​ ​at​ ​her?”​ ​In​ ​an​ ​answerable​ ​way​ ​Tizon​ ​replies​ ​“Her​ ​hearing​ ​isn't

so​ ​good…”​ ​In​ ​this​ ​place​ ​Tizon​ ​admits​ ​it​ ​gave​ ​him​ ​doubts​ ​of​ ​what​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​people​ ​they​ ​were​ ​and

what​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​place​ ​he​ ​came​ ​from.​ ​Moreover,​ ​he​ ​confesses​ ​“I​ ​was​ ​ashamed​ ​of​ ​it​ ​all,​ ​including​ ​my

complicity.”​ ​Tizon​ ​shows​ ​a​ ​great​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​guilt​ ​he​ ​has​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​us​ ​readers​ ​cannot​ ​understand.

His​ ​guilt​ ​and​ ​feeling​ ​ashamed​ ​of​ ​what​ ​his​ ​parents​ ​have​ ​done​ ​and​ ​what​ ​he​ ​could​ ​have​ ​done​ ​to

prevent​ ​such​ ​things​ ​have​ ​overwhelmed​ ​his​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​insecurity​ ​reaching​ ​his​ ​primary​ ​cause​ ​of

exposing​ ​his​ ​family's​ ​secret​ ​yet​ ​honoring​ ​what​ ​he​ ​did,​ ​by​ ​being​ ​an​ ​outcast,​ ​is​ ​wrong.

“‘Lola’s​ ​Story’​ ​(June),​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Filipino​ ​American​ ​journalist​ ​Alex​ ​Tizon,​ ​quickly​ ​became

the​ ​most​ ​read​ ​story​ ​on​ ​TheAtlantic.com​ ​and​ ​garnered​ ​many​ ​emotional​ ​responses​ ​from​ ​people

around​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States​ ​and​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​particularly​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Philippines”​ ​(The​ ​Atlantic​ ​8).

In​ ​the​ ​following​ ​months​ ​the​ ​Atlantic​ ​replied​ ​to​ ​letters​ ​regarding​ ​this​ ​story​ ​in​ ​“The​ ​Conversation”

(September)​ ​one​ ​of​ ​which​ ​was​ ​buy​ ​Vincent​ ​Raf

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Work​ ​Cited

Tizon,​ ​Alex.​ ​“My​ ​Family's​ ​Slave.”​ ​​The​ ​Atlantic​,​ ​Atlantic​ ​Media​ ​Company,​ ​5​ ​July​ ​2017,

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/lolas-story/524490/​.​ ​11​ ​September

2017.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/06/lolas-story/524490/