Christ in Concrete

“Work! Sure! For America beautiful will eat you and spit your bones into the earth’s hole! Work!” 

One of Geremio’s coworkers, the Lean, utters this line during a tough day on the Job. It’s the indication that the American dream may not offer all that it promises, especially to the hardworking poor. 

“Ah, bella casa mio. Where my little freshets of blood and my good woman await me. Home where my broken back will not ache so. Home where midst the monkey chatter of my piccolinos I will float off to blessed slumber with my feet on the chair and the head on the wife’s soft full breast.” 

Home has a special place for poor workers like Geremio. It is the one place they can escape after a long day of work where Job cannot get to them and the boss cannot yell at them. Home is where they can indulge in the simple pleasures of children and wives and ease their aching backs.

“I tell you, son of Geremio shall never lay bricks! Paulie mine will study from books—he will be the great builder!” 

Geremio has aspirations for Paul, and he thinks that he will be a great builder or architect someday. Geremio lays bricks in the hopes that Paul will never have to, but in a cruel irony of fate, Paul ends up taking on the same Job that his father despises. This outcome upends the idea that immigrant children can escape the yoke of poverty.