Is the Book representing One Point of View?
Even though the book is a heart wrenching story they do only show one side of an opinion. Even though Enrique is braving this dangerous journey for a good cause to go finally reconnect with his mother, the book only portrays the opinion that this journey is heroic and good. On the flip side of that you can look at it being illegal and something you shouldn't do. the book portrays immigration as ok and all the police and immigration workers as bad people when they are really just doing their jobs keeping people that aren't supposed to. Even though a lot of these officers shouldn't take their job to an extent that is portrayed in the book they still are protecting the law. Which is people shouldn't be crossing into other countries illegally. "Police officers run into the church and arrest migrants hiding inside, with there guns drawn. One day several migra officers came in, arrested four migrants, and put them into their truck" (112). Even though the police are brutal about their actions they still are upholding the law and doing what in their opinion is right. the book just portrays them as bad people and Im sure some are corrupt but there are cops who are just doing what there supposed to do and not inflicting any harm to people other than deporting them back to their home countries.
Jack I completely agree with you. These officers are only doing their jobs. Every day they know they are going to catch immigrants because there are so many of them trying to cross the border. They are protecting the law of their own country by deporting the migrants and the book definitely doesn't show this opinion. Of course there are going to be those cops who do rape and steal from the migrants but not all of them are like that. The book is obviously representing one point of view when it comes to the topic of the police officers being good or bad.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the book seems to be that way, but I think the author is trying to portray the book in a different way. I think hes trying to explain to the reader about the hardships that people go through to become US citizens and that they will do anything to be one. Enrique wants to be cross the border in order to be with his mother and live a better life and perhaps get a better education. But his mother crossed the border so her children wouldn't starve to death. She needed more money and that could be found in America where she could get a job an send money so they'll no longer have to starve everynight. But I agree that the police are being portrayed as horrible people. They continue to send people back home to where they came from to start all over again. They may thnk they are saving lives but they are most likely putting their lives in ore danger.
ReplyDeleteJack, I agree with you with every fiber of my soul. In our society of rooting for "The Underdog," we tend to forget that "The Underdog" can have just as many flaws as it's opponent. It is important for us to remember that all those who populate the migrant gangs of the train tracks; the rapists, the murderers, the "Madrinas" and the extortionists- all of these people most likely had a very similar background to our protagonist. They left their homes with the intention of immigration, searching for security, money or family. Unfortunately, these individuals found what they sought not through work or relatives, but were adopted into gangs through violence and necessity. They became blinded of their original ambitions, abandoning that which they once held closest, becoming what they had once feared most when they rode the rails as Enrique did.
ReplyDeleteAgreed this book makes the police officers seem like bad guys when its really only their job. 14 million immigrants entered the U.S from 2000-2010(wikipedia) this shows that police coffers must do their job or else we would literally overflow with people. Reading this book makes you want Enrique to make it to the U.S but makes the border patrol seem like the villain
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