Jennifer Dao

Taylor
English 1A
28 October 2014
Sonia Sotomayors My Beloved World Study Guide
1.
2.

3.

4.

Prologue through Chapter Five

Growing up, Sonia has a caring, but troubling home life. Her parents cared about her
deeply, and this is apparent in the beginning scene where they worry about getting her
insulin shot done correctly after shes been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. However, in
the midst of this, Mami and Papi scream and argue with each other. Her fathers arm
would tremble as he tried to do this, which disturbed her mother, who wanted to entrust
this job to him. This constant arguing over small things would stress her out until the day
of her fathers death. However, the love the parents have for her and her brother Junior is
apparent. Her mother worked many long hours as a nurse in order to allow her to have a
more enriching life, such as being able to go to Catholic school, have encyclopedias, and
try various sports and instruments unsuccessfully. Her father would bring them to the
market, cook meals, and call constantly when they were away at an aunts house.
Although neither showed much physical or spoken affection, their love was apparent
through their actions.
Sotomayor believes she learned more self-discipline from living with diabetes than [she]
ever did from the Sisters of Charity (5). This is most likely because when it is necessary
to do certain things for your own survival, self-discipline is required. In her case, as a 7year old child she needed to make sure she had enough time every morning to sterilize a
needle and give herself an insulin shot. Her father was incompetent when it came to
injections, so the responsibility lay on her. If she didnt do it, she could end up dying. In
order to be able to do this, she had to make sure all of her morning routine was finished.
Sotomayor states, I would soon figure out how to manage the time efficiently: to get
dressed, brush my teeth, and get ready for school in the intervals while the pot boiled or
cooled (5). Meanwhile, the Sisters of Charity taught discipline with physical discipline.
When someone got the wrong question or disrupted the class somehow, they would be
slapped by a hand or ruler. This didnt teach self-discipline, only fear of authority and
how to obey someones command under risk of pain. When freed from this looming
punishment, it was dubious how the kids would act.
At an early age, Sonia had to cope with a lot of stress because of her parents marriage
problems. Her father was an alcoholic, which angered her mother. They would argue
often. As a result, it was common for the family to be broken apart by their constant
anger. Her parents also tended to stay apart from each other. As a result, a child would
not want to disrupt any lasting peace, or add anymore stress into their already hectic
family lives. Secondly, when she brought her brother to school, she became the protective

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

sister. This is shown by Sotomayors statement: [...] at Blessed Sacrament [...], I

watched out for him, and any bully thinking of messing with him would have to mix it up
with me first (12). This made her develop resistance and an ability to stand up for
herself and others she loved. She also lived in a neighborhood that had a lot of gangs,
drugs, and crime. Growing up, her main confidante was Abuelita, her grandmother. She
was loving, encouraging, and they connected on a deep level. She also had many friends
that were also cousins, such as Nelsons. With many difficulties, Sonia made very strong
ties with her family members when they were open to bonding.
Sotomayor meets her great grandmother when she is with Abuelita. Her greatgrandmother, Bisabuela Ciriata, is listless and unaware of her surroundings, and is
described by Sotomayor as looking two hundred years old (32). They were in an area
of San Juan called Santurce, which Abuelita and her siblings were visiting.
Sonia Sotomayor doesnt have a close relationship with her mother when she is younger.
Mami doesnt hug her, kiss her, or show her physical affection. She didnt like to play
with her or Junior either. She spent a lot of time working. Because of this lack of
affection, Sonia often has a hidden resentment towards her mother, which she learns to let
go years later when they come into more understanding terms of each other. Sotomayor
meets her grandfather in Puerto Rico when her mom goes there for vacation. Mami has a
very strained, icy relationship with her father, who abandoned her when she was a very
young child. She comes to see him at the hospital on the invite of her sister, saying no
more than Yo soy Celina (38). He doesnt reply back. This brokenness in her
relationship with her father is most likely Mamis reason for showing affection often.
In the Sotomayor family, the most communication centers around food and parties. There
are often family reunions with all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on. The aunts like to
buddy up and gossip, while the cousins would play with each other. In Sotomayors own
household, she would often do homework and watch TV with her brother, or other silent
activities with her parents. From the text, they dont seem very talkative, but stick
together nevertheless. They would do activities together, and talk or not talk depending
on how they felt. This seems to have stuck with her as a way to bond with others growing
up.
When she vacationed with her mom, they went to places in Puerto Rico. They went to the
city Mayaguez. Sotomayor describes that traveling with Mami to Puerto Rico was a
little like being around Rip van Winkle on the day he woke up (33). She describes her
mother as having an expression of constant wonderment (33) because of the changes
and sameness of different aspects of the Puerto Rican city she spent her childhood in. Its
likely that she loved her mothers enthusiasm. There is also another favorable aspect
about the trips: food. They would buy coconuts; she would eat bags of mangoes; and
shed work at the panaderia, which was always full of fresh delicious bread and pastries.
Abuelita wore a housecoat that had pockets full of tissues and cigarettes. She used this
housecoat as an apron as she made breakfast, such as pancakes.

10.

11.

12.
13.

14.

Using Spanish inside of an otherwise English-language novel is common for latino

authors. Most of the time, I dont find it distracting, because I took a few Spanish classes
in High School to get my foreign language requirements fulfilled, so I know a few basic
words. However, when I dont know what the word means, or there is a full sentence
with unknown words, I get confused. I dont tend to look up the meaning because it
means more work, which may cause me to lose the full impact of the narrative. However,
I believe the Spanish words give a more authentic flavor to the story, despite the possible
confusion they may cause.
Juli is Sotomayors father. His nickname, Juli, comes from his name Juan Luis. He had
stayed home sick that morning, and died around the time before she came home. His
body was discovered by close family members. The morning of that same day, he shaved
and dressed up, and wanted to make a Sunday breakfast for the children. It is possible
that he died of alcohol poisoning or another ailment. After his death, Mami grieved him
by locking herself in her room for hours on end in darkness. She was home with the
children when they were released from school. Junior and Sonia would spend this time in
silence doing homework or watching TV, or both. Sonia spend her days indoors reading
chapter books, Highlights magazines, Readers Digest, and other literature. Abuelita
became very unhappy because of her sons death, and seemed to have become forever
broken. This sad change is shown in the quote, The parties ended. There was no more
music and dancing, no more shopping for chickens, no more calling the spirits (48).One
day, Sonia breaks the silence in her house. She pounds on the door where her mother is
secluded, and when it opens, she yells at her mother Whats wrong with you? Papi died.
Are you going to die too? Then what happens to me and Junior? Stop already, Mami, stop
it! (49). After this episode, her mother puts herself back together. She dresses up again,
cleans up the house, opens up the shades, and dates other men. Life at home becomes
more vibrant again. In a sense, life is better now that her father is dead, but that doesnt
mean she doesnt miss him.
Chapter Six through Chapter Twelve
The ability to read is pivotal for higher education, and to attain more job opportunities.
Many employers turn away those who dont have a college degree or high school
diploma. Education isnt possible without literacy and analytical skills. Furthermore,
reading is a form of personal enrichment, whether for entertainment or expanding ones
mind. Sometimes, reading is the only way to learn about many aspects of the world in the
form of books, newspapers, periodicals, encyclopedias, and so on. Reading is fun, but
also has many practical uses.
When Juli died, Sonia Sotomayor had to deal with her mothers grieving process and her
own lack of desire to play outside. This left her with not much to do other than read. She
read a whole array of books that she found at the public library. Laughter, the Best
Medicine, was what I sore needed then (48), Sotomayor states. This was a section from
the magazine Readers Digest, which she read from cover to cover. These books most

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

likely played a large role in comforting her after her fathers death by keeping her
stimulated and entertained.
According to the theory of Sonias child-like mind, If a man did something wrong, there
was a woman to blame, whether wife, mother, sister, or sister-in-law (49). This shows a
mindset where the woman always has to comfort, reprove, or correct a man for his
wrong-doing if they have familial relations. This put the responsibility on the woman for
not doing something to prevent the man from basically jumping to desperate measures
and personal destruction. This also indicates how the men were more expected to do
something wrong. This made the woman somehow to blame for causing emotional harm
that would lead to the mans actions.
In some cases, communication is more free between people of the same sex. This is
because there isnt the aspect of sexual prowess or desire. People of the same gender
usually consider each other equal and safe unless there are other titles that may make one
of a higher status than the other. This allows communication to run more freely in casual,
emotional, serious, or business situations. In the book, the aunts tended to gossip with
each other often, while the men interacted with each other in different ways. Of course,
the two genders would intermingle often, but sometimes it was easier to talk to someone
who was the same sex.
Guilt-induced grief implies someone feeling negative emotions after a persons death
not because the person has departed, but because the individual feels like they should
have acted differently or done something else during the deceaseds lifetime. Sotomayor
explains that she developed this theory from overhearing her relatives blame each other
or themselves for the death of Papi. She believes that theres always a woman that they
blame for his alcoholism, illness, and death, and that their misery came simply from this
sense of guilt.
Memory and grief are deeply connected. A deceased stranger means nothing to most
people, but when a close family member or friend dies, memories spent with them come
flooding back into focus. There is a sudden realization that it is now impossible to spend
time with them the same way as before, and the happiness and cherished moments
become a thing of the past. This is a great sense of loss that manifests as grief. In
Sotomayors case, her mother, Celina, shared many great memories with Juli. He was her
first true love, and the first years she spent with him were blissful. Before the arguments
and alcoholism, they shared many good memories reading, talking, and dancing. There
were also admirable aspects of Juli, such as his artistic flair, mathematical aptitude,
gentleness, and lovingness. They had fallen in love with each other. When he died, Celina
grieved these different aspects of her husband, even though they were in the past.
Sotomayor is saying in her quote You cant say: This much love is worth this much
misery (95), that it is unrealistic to believe that people would suffer a certain amount of
misery for a certain amount of love from someone. Suffering and love are not
components that a person can exchange for each other, because they often go hand in

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

hand. Oftentimes, the person one suffers for the most is the person they love the most.
There is no measure of what amount of suffering results in what amount of love given or
returned.
Dr. Elsa Paulsen was the woman that Sotomayor considered the first woman in a
position of real-world authority (76). She means that this woman is the only one she had
encountered at that age to have real authority or status that counted on a professional
level. Dr. Paulsen was respected by all the people of the Jacobi Medical Center. Before,
her aunts and mother wielded authority only as being more dominant than the children of
the family. This shows that women seldom had much power outside of the household in
this time period. It was rare for others to see a woman as a leader in society or at a
workplace, because it was startling for Sonia to witness Dr. Paulsens authority.
Sotomayors juvenile diabetes could have hindered her, because people are less likely to
hire someone who can pass out from blood sugar level imbalances. As a child, she was
given a pamphlet that listed possible career options for those with diabetes, and it is
limited. It discouraged kids from being a pilot, bus driver, or police officer. These are
more physical jobs, however, which still allows diabetics to engage in a wide spectrum of
career choices. It is a known fact that Sotomayor did end up a success, as she is appointed
in the US Supreme Court. This shows that her determination and hard work did count
more than any physical ailment she has. A person with diabetes may have to abstain from
physical work if it hinders them, but advanced technology allows people to basically go
after their hearts desire in the professional field.
Television played an important role in Sonias life. She spent a lot of time using
television as background noise, and sometimes entertainment. Growing up, Junior and
Sonia often spent time doing homework in front of the TV, even into their high school
years. When they were younger, they loved to watch TV at their aunts house, and
eventually at their own home when Juli bought them their own.
As a 7th grader, her friends often hung out at her house. Her mother would make rice and
beans, and sometimes heavenly pork chops for them to snack on. Her friends would talk
to her mother as well. They often held small parties. She might be gossiping with her
friends and sharing secrets, or arguing with her brother Junior. It was a good time in her
life.
Sotomayor developed confidence to speak confidently when she realized an aspiration to
become a lawyer or judge, and worked at this by reading from the Bible in front of her
Catholic church. She did the Bible reading and tried to not be nervous by focusing on
different parts of the church and people. She was really nervous, but by the end of it, she
writes, I had done it, and I knew I could do it again (87).
Sotomayors middle school teachers taught the class mostly to memorize endless
amounts of facts and parrot them back. They were taught only to remember and not to
analyze or think critically. This changed in high school with Miss Katz, who wanted them
to write an essay, a foreign concept at the time with their previous schooling. This is

26.

apparent from Sotomayors thoughts of the essay, shown by her words Somehow her
prescription for critical thinking and analysis remained abstract, if tantalizing (105). She
was required to actually make use of the content she learned rather than simply absorb it
like a sponge. In a way, this is like a builder learning how to use the tools, nails, and
materials theyve accumulated rather than simply memorizing the type of screws and
hammers they have in their toolbox.
Several issues such as sexism, alcoholism, parent-child relationships, drug abuse, and
lack of empathy are discussed in the text. In regards to sexism, the roles of women were
relatively narrow in the time period she grew up in. It was rare for women to be in
positions of influence. Alcoholism is a problem Sotomayor is also familiar with, as her
father struggled extensively with this addiction. He would have alcoholics neuropathy,
as well as drink on a daily basis. Thirdly, the relationship between children and their
parents, and the impact of this bond, are explored in the book. Growing up, Sonia
experienced both love and strain from her parents. Although they cared for her, they also
withheld the physical gestures of affection that should be part of a healthy paternal
relationship. It is apparent later on that Mami felt deep feelings of abandonment caused
by her father, which led to a sense of distance towards Sonia. The child would feel a
sense of resentment as a result. However, this relationship is mended as common
understanding is reached. Sotomayor also lived in a neighborhood where drug abuse and
crime were rampant. In her apartment complex, druggies would often leave drug
paraphernalia in the stairways, and her friend Nelson ended up trying drugs. This was the
product of living in a low-income neighborhood where the young werent encouraged to
engage in healthy activities. Last of all, Sotomayor noticed that people would lack
empathy for each other. Her aunts did a joke where they called random strangers on the
phone, and pretended to be sleeping with the strangers husband. When Sonia objected to
the senseless cruelty of the prank, they said that they meant no harm by it. This made
Sonia realize that people cant imagine themselves in other peoples shoes, which would
entitle them to inflict cruel acts on each other without realizing the tragic consequences.