Essay Questions

What are the demerits of living by the “family fast” mantra?

Lila understands the essence of the family in her life. She recalls her socialization: "My whole life I'd had the concept of "family first" drilled into my head, and it's how I'd lived until I went away to college…But where was the magical line between selfishness and independence." Focusing on one's family is endorsed in collectivist cultures such as the Filipino culture. The ideology is detrimental to one's growth because one must focus on the family's needs first or be called selfish. One cannot grow independently when he is required to please the family first.

Why does Lila dread the loss of their café?

The café is a principal component of the family. It has been instrumental in their sustenance and culture of cooking. Lila thinks, "We could lose the restaurant! Maybe even go to jail. And then where would we be? Tita Rosie had been running that place almost my entire life. And it’s not like she and my grandma would start over again.” The café is a multi-generational asset that has unified the family. Its closure would mean the destabilization of at least three generations. Furthermore, their lives would be hollow if they stopped cooking after the café's closure.

Analyze the reaction of the other customers after an ambulance takes Derek.

The other customers are full of tension. None of them wants to remain at the café. Lila expounds, “Once the cups and plates were emptied, the customers all wiped the crumbs from their mouths and left money on the table, ignoring my aunt’s insistence that they didn’t have to pay. When she tried to hand the money back, everyone fled, leaving her standing with a fistful of cash.” The customers want to be further away from the café because they witnessed how Derek collapsed. They are anxious and aim to flee from a scene that they assume is dangerous for them to stay. Derek’s collapse makes them feel as though they are facing danger; they could collapse like him if they stay at the café.