Immigration is a very difficult obstacle to overcome, especially as a family. Fortunately I will never fully know how being an immigrant feel, for I have never immigrated. The poem “Ironing their clothes” is a poem written by Julia Alvarez. This poem is based on her Julia and her family, when they immigrated due to her father’s complications in Dominican Republic. This poem deals with the struggle and livelihood her family dealt with when they were adjusting to their new surroundings. As the poem blossoms, she discusses her work ethic in general. She then introduces her father, mother, and lastly her younger sister. Throughout the poem she expresses her love for her family through the chores she finishes. She compares all her tasks to different aspects of her family, including herself. “Ironing their clothes” is a poem about impact immigration has had on Julia’s family.…show more content… Out of all the characters in the poem, she shows the least amount of love to her father. Not significantly, but just enough to question whether their was more to the story. For example was she upset for letting her father move them out of their home country because of her dilemmas? Regardless, she still describes how important he is in her family. She begins by stating that her father works extremely hard. The job he currently obtained, takes a heavy toll on his body. With her choice of diction, her father is described as tried and old-looking due to her heavy labor work. In correlation to her ironing, her father is as distressed and wrinkled as the shirt she has to straighten. Alvarez wishes she could do everything in her power to help him feel stronger and better. The way she perfects and irons, is the exact way she wants to help her father. Ironing shirts is the metaphor to her
