An Hour With Abuelo Analysis

Taken For Granted
It is often said to not judge a book by its cover. In the story “An Hour With Abuelo” a young teenage boy must visit his grandfather who doesn't have much time left to live at a nursing home in Brooklyn. Once his mother persuades him to go visit his grandfather he is not happy .As he arrives to his grandfather's room Arturo keeps looking at his watch timing one hour till he could go home. His grandfather tells him his life story not knowing how interested he would be into it.Judith Ortiz Cofer shows her theme that we never really know a person until we know their story through Arturo’s realization that his grandfather has a story to tell and grabs Arturo's attention and realizes how much he actually enjoys the company of his

Abuelo told him he worked so hard to have the job he wanted, “I paid my rent in labor, and I ate vegetables I Grew myself.” He told him how he did things and even though they were against his father's wishes for him he still succeeded and had his whole family on his side,But I graduated at the top of my class!”, and “My whole family came to see me that day”. Once grandfather graduated he then realized that, “In those days you could teach in a country school with a high school diploma”, so he decided to go back to mountain village and teach there all grades about writing. After teaching writing he joined the U.S. army but abuelo did not get the job of teaching farm boys there, instead he was forced to be a cleaning latrines. When he came back home with his family everything had changed,”You have to have a college degree to teach school.” His parents also got sick and he had to take care of them since he was the only one left there,”...two of my brothers had been killed in the war…” He then married a women who gave him a beautiful family. He finished his story by saying,”Asi es la vida is the title of my book.”.
Arturo realized how wrong he was about his grandfather, and how he misjudged him. He really liked the story causing him to become speechless,”I’m thinking of something nice to say.”. As he was about to start a conversation with abuelo a lady in pink comes for him and abuelo says,” Arturo, look at your watch now. I believe your time is over. He gives me a wicked smile.” Arturo looks at his watch,”I can't help but think that my abuelo has been timing me.” As he is walking towards the exit,”I walk slowly down the hall. I want my mother to wait a little. I don't want her to think i'm in a hurry or