Edison, New Jersey Analysis

Edison, New Jersey
By Junot Diaz












"Each payday I take out the calculator and figure how long it will take me to but a pool table honestly".

In Junot Diaz's short story Edison New Jersey, due to his occupation, the main character of the story comes into close contact with the consequences and allowances of the social and economic divide between him and those of the upper class on a daily basis. For example he recognizes the insult and belittlement present when his customers "give them water in paper cups", or  "agonize over leaving, lingering by the front door, trying to memorize everything they own, as if they don't know where to find us, who we work for".  As a consequence of constantly being exposed to these microaggressions, it is almost as if he begins to yearn for the economic status which would grant him  access to privilege, power, and the expensive things. This is why I believe every payday he calculates how much  more money he would need to  buy the luxury item so many of his affluent  customers  buy.
           However after he does the calculations he always  realizes that an item bought easily without a second  thought for his rich customers, could not be attained by him even after  years of hardship and toil. In the short story he says  "Money never stuck to me, ever". Yet I believe its important to note that even though he is aware if this fact, most likely better than anybody, he still takes out his calculator every payday to do the calculations. This means that he still hasn't given up hope. But while the action of him calculating how long it would take him to buy a pool table "honestly" begets the sense of hope he might have in himself and his situation, his thefts say something else entirely.   The thefts he commit speak not only of the realistic pessimism he may have towards the future, but also speak of complacency. Almost as if he has accepted his economic status for what it is, and seeing no way out, decided that his best option is to steal.
      Another area of the story where the closely intertwined relationship between power and money is shown is through the relationship  between Mr. Pruitt and his "maid". From the story I got a sense that Mr. Pruitt wasn't  keeping the young girl as a maid, but rather it was more of a sex slave or mail order bride type of situation. I say this because when the main character meets her finally face to face she expresses a deep desire to escape the house. Not to mention it seems that Mr. Pruit has provided her with only four simple articles of clothing for her closet, yet the main character found an entire collection of assorted lingerie in her drawer. While it is pointed out in the story that Mr. Pruit has a full wardrobe for himself, and apparently loves cloths. Additionally when the young girl refers to where  her family lives she says "I don't know the address. I have it written down. My mother and brothers live here". It can be inferred from the story that reason why she returns to Mr. Pruit is not out of love , but rather financial and political( green card) stability.  The power associated with Mr. Pruit's economic status plays a pivotal role in this type of a  situation. Also although the story let the reader know that she returned to her family for a brief period of time, the reader is not told whether they welcomed her or not.