Squatter And The Don By Maria Amparo Ruiz De Burton

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Maria Amparo Ruiz De Burton work entitled the “The Squatter and the Don” captures the essence of Michel Foucault’s proposition on discourse and power by drawing from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848. She illustrates the racism and deprived rights the Mexican-American faced after being falsely promised to be given citizenship. The discourse of Burton’s work is the written laws that any citizen living within the state is supposed to abide by. Don Mariano is a man of the Alamar family who resided in San Deigo with his wife Dona Josefa and their children. However, like most Mexican ranchers during that time his land was slowly being taken from him by squatters. In one occasion Don Mariano Alamar mentions the laws that are suited for a certain race of people. He states “There are some enactments so obviously intended to favor one class of citizens against another class, that to call them laws is an insult to law, but such as we are, we must submit to …show more content…

She ensures to present the racism that was also an issue during this time. One prominent example is a conversation between Darrell and his wife about their different perspectives on squatters. His wife argues that by taking land from those who rightfully own it is unethical. However, he husband counters her statement by saying “That’s exactly it. We aren’t squatters. We are ‘settlers’. We take up land that belongs to us, American citizens, by paying the government price for it.” (Burton 238). This comment on a deeper context was the view and beliefs of American in 1848. Additionally, the social hierarchy is apparent and supports Alamar’s comment that there is inequality and prejudices within the U.S. government. Darrell wanted to prove that because he was an America that gave him superiority over the land that was rightfully claim by Mexican-Americans. That white Americans were claiming what was “theirs” according to a

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