Chain reaction by tere Martinez - Essay Example

The Role of Mentorship in Tere Martínez’s Chain Reaction Mentorship is an important aspect of the relationship between two people where one teaches and influences the other. This relationship is often seen between teachers and students, where the student looks to the teacher for advice and guidance on many different aspects. This type of relationship can be transforming particularly for the students, as they respect the opinions, morals and beliefs of their mentor. In Tere Martínez’s Chain Reaction the mentorship relationship is exhibited through various student-teacher relationships, having a significant impact on the lives of the students.

The play itself focuses on Antionia Pantoja, a community leader from Puerto Rica and her life’s work. The relationship between Pantoja and her mentor Frank Horne is another key example of mentorship within the play. The two share the same passion and drive, wanting to fight for rights and freedoms. He encourages her plans and this gives her the strength to succeed. With his support, she builds the ASPIRA, a group and a community that supports one another. Through ASPIRA she taught students ways of solving problems, determining what the issues were in their life, the causes and how to go about solving them.

In addition, it focused on the cultural background of Puerto Ricans, encouraging them to embrace rather than ignore their heritage. A second relationship of importance in the play is that of Yoiaira and Professor Ramos. Yojaira is a 19 year old student studying at Hostos Community College. She is sarcastic, feeling that she is unable to succeed. While she dreams of being a scientist, she rejects Ramos’ suggestions that this is possible, instead deciding to follow her mother’s desires to be a dentist.

Yojaira talks to Ramos about her personal life, the problems that she is experiencing and her plans for the future. It is through this relationship of trust and friendship that Ramos is able to help Yojaria. Because of Ramos’ influence, Yojaira finds in herself the desire to be someone different and it is this desire that causes her to call Hector and agree to meet him. A final crucial relationship within the play is that between Hector and Pantoja. Hector was a member of the ASPIRA group that Pantoja had developed and encouraged.

Because of Pantoja’s encouragement, Hector followed a career path that everyone else in his life told him was not possible. Through Pantoja’s work and encouragement he gained substantial strength in himself, and found that he did not have to be ashamed of his heritage, or become an ‘American’, he could remain distinct. He is able to then pass the lessons that he learnt on, becoming an encouraging force in the life of Yoiaira. Together they are able to begin to instigate change in her life.

The strongest force throughout Chain Reaction is that of mentorship. Through this medium, the lives of three young people are encouraged, first Pantoja, then Hector and finally Yoiaira. As Yoiaira describes at the end of the play, the relationships are like links in a chain, they interlink lives and people grow and develop as a consequence.