Behold the Dreamers
How do you know when a battle is no longer worth the fight? Behold the Dreamers is the 2016 debut novel by Imbolo Mbue that takes place during the 2008 financial crisis that left millions of Americans homeless and with shattered dreams in the fallout. The novel follows two families: an immigrant family from Cameroon, the Jonga family; and their wealthy employers, the Edwards family. Jende Jonga is the chauffeur of Clark Edwards, a high-level Lehman Brothers executive, while his wife, Neni, becomes a domestic worker for Cindy Edwards. The Jongas are also caught in the U.S. immigration system as Jende is seeking permanent residency through a fake asylum application.
As a first generation American and immigration attorney, I was very excited to read this book when it came across my radar because you don't often see the technicalities of the legal system, as highlighted by Mbue in her novel. I was glad to see that the author depicted the immigration process unflinchingly. Due to my profession, let me tell you, the system is trash y’all - they not trying to let anybody get in. But I digress and honestly the inner-workings of the immigration system could be a whole ‘nother blog so let’s get back into this review.
*spoiler alert ahead*
One of the plot points that I appreciated within the novel was the decision that Jende made to ultimately leave America and return home. This ending really resonated with me because it reflects my own current mindset and growing disillusionment with America and the “American Dream.” I feel connected because I, too, want to leave and raise my children elsewhere (either the Caribbean islands or West Africa).
After Jende loses his job working for the Edwards, he becomes a dishwasher (the only job he could find in the struggle economy) just to provide for his family. It is backbreaking work and his health and marriage begin to suffer for it. It is at this point that Jende asks himself “for what” and “is the fight worth it?” He ultimately decided that the cost of the fight to merely remain in America was simply not worth the payoff. He realized that even if he won his asylum case (which was not likely) and got to stay in the country, he would still be working for meager wages and living in subpar conditions. When Jende considered that he could take his savings, move back home, and live like a small king, he made the difficult decision to return back home with his wife and small children. I did not see this ending coming but I truly respected it and I honestly wish that I can do the same, too. But don't worry, I've been planting and watering the seed with hubby for years now. He’s slowly cracking, I can tell *wink wink*.
Like Jende, I, too, find myself asking the same questions. The lifestyle we live here in America is not fulfilling to me. It feels like we work all week just to get to get to a short weekend so that we can start all over again. That to me is not living, it is merely surviving/just getting by. I like that Imbolo truly makes us analyze what the American dream is worth and questions whether it is corrupting us. Is it worth the loss of our values, our mental health and our most special relationships? I think Jende had it right - it's not and he got his family out just in the nick of time. In the novel’s final scene when the family is back in Cameroon and his son is waking up after sleeping for most of the drive from the airport, he opens his eyes and asks where they are. Jende simply replies “Home” and I was so happy that the Jonga family might finally have a chance at thriving and being better. Something that they were losing in America.
Behold the Dreamers is an excellent novel and I highly recommend.
