Equity in Javi by Han Ong

Equity stands out in the short story “Javi” as Javi and his mother always take care of each other while the painter stands by their side and helps them through any struggles. Equality and justice also play some role in the story but equity is a common concept that stood out throughout the entire story. Javi was shown to get in trouble with the law quite often including when he tried using a fake ID with the cops while using the painter’s car. The cops had to call the painter instead of instantly taking him to the back of the cop car. The painter was there to explain the story and came to get him with Diane. They were not mad and simply just took him home. This was showing how the painter was always there to help him no matter what the situation was and she was never mad. This was one of many examples and another way to show equity would be Javi’s relationship with his mother.

Javi was always there to take care of his mother. If she was not ready to move to the retirement home then he was ok with that and managed to take care of her. They had a special relationship where they could each go out and do their own thing without questioning each other. There was a lot of faith and trust shown in their relationship. Javi could be out late and he would come home to make dinner for his mom with no questions asked. He also fought back for his mom and the painter when Diane showed up out of nowhere a few months later. His actions were a bit powerful towards her but he thought he was doing what is best for everyone. Some of his actions may come off as rude or unnecessary but he was thinking about the people he cares about. 

At the end, Javi had to take his mother to the retirement home when he realized he may never see her again. This hurt him faster than he thought it would because after all these years of being with her and taking care of her she won’t be with him everyday. The way the writer explains the story makes the reader have to think about what the main idea is. The writer tends to use bigger words that aren’t so common to try to give the reader a better picture. There is also a bit of imagination that could be used within the story because the reader does not name all the characters specifically and the reader can think of who the characters are before getting a full understanding. Overall, the way the writer tells the story allows several motifs to be shown but equity was very clear through the relationships between Javi and the people around him.