Come and Go Back

The book I read is called “Come and Go Back”. This book was written by an anthropologist by the name of Joan Abelove whom lived in a village like the one in the book to study there culture. She wrote this book to explain to people through a story how there way of life is and some things which she experienced when she was there. This book is under fiction and is referred to as realistic. This book is based on events that took place in the 1970’s. This book was printed in 1998 in the United States of America; it is a Los Angeles time’s book prize finalist.

Alicia lives in the Brazilian Rainforest. Her people are visited by two anthropologists named Joanna and Margarita. These women are called old ladies by Alicia's people even though they are only in their late twenties. They are asked to stay for a year. During the visit Alicia and the anthropologists come to respect each other's cultures, which are very different. Her people believe that if you have something you must share it with everyone, and they don't believe in saving anything for another time.

The tribe gets upset when the anthropologists want to save some of the liquor they have for another occasion. They feel that the supplies the women have brought should be community property. At the beginning of the story Alicia doesn't want the newcomers to stay, but by the end of the story they have become good friends and truly regret the end of the visit. Also part of the story, Alicia is believed to be mature enough to have children of her own. Although she is still a young teenager. When Carmella, a young trader's wife in Alicia’s tribe, fears that her husband will kill their baby, Alicia volunteers to take care of the baby on her own. None of her people think that the baby is worth much, and they don't think it will survive since it is not fat. They call the baby a Nawa, but Alicia learns to love the baby she has agreed to care for.

In this story the author tried to educate people on how this tribe had different values, beliefs, customs and well just a totally diverse way of living altogether, but the simple fact that even though there way of life was different from us we still shared similar problems and feelings.