45 pages • 1 hour read
Carlos BulosanAmerica is in the Heart
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1946A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
When Allos hits Helen with the phone, how did you feel? Is he justified in his lack of remorse? Why or why not?
Do you believe that Allos’s life would have been different if his family had lived as one unit in the Philippines? Why or why not?
Allos often acts as if he has no control over his life. What, if anything, would have improved his situation? Even though the circumstances in America were difficult, how could he have made his life easier?
What role does religion play in the book?
Why do you believe that Allos identifies with the particular novels he mentions in the book?
The violence in America is in the Heart is often sudden and shocking. How does it affect Allos’s view of humanity?
Near the end of the book, it takes a new war for Filipinos to be accepted into the Armed Forces. What are the contradictory aspects of this change in national policy?
Do you feel that Allos is unduly harsh toward any of his brothers? Why or why not?
Contrast the roles that Eileen and Helen play in the story. What do each of them teach Allos about life?
Do you agree with Allos when he says that having someone or something to care for makes life better? Why or why not?
