A Gringo In The Lettuce Fields Summary
In “A Gringo in the Lettuce Fields,” author Gabriel Thompson presents a look into the life of a migrant worker in the lettuce fields in Yuma Arizona. First, Thompson gives a first look into the job by describing what the area of the fields look like. “I wake up staring into the bluest blue I’ve ever seen. ”(89) “To my left, in the distance, a border patrol helicopter is hovering.
Growing up is a part of life , but with growing up we go through phases and life experiences. Author Gary Soto tells a little bit if his similar life experiences in his two stories “Broken Chain”, “Seventh Grade”, and small narrative poem “Oranges”. “Broken Chain” is about a boy named Alfonso who was insecure. One day he meets a girl named Sandra who he went to school with and thought she was cute. Alfonso asks her is she would want to go on a bike ride
In “A Gringo in the Lettuce Fields,” Gabriel Thompson spends about two months cutting lettuce in the hot fields of Yuma alongside immigrants laborers. At first glimpse, the immigrants thought he was either crazy or an undercover immigration agent ready to deport them back to their home country. But within a few days just outside Watsonville, Thompson got to know some immigrants and sensed the backbreaking, harsh conditions work of these immigrant laborers. He would then get physically drained, and never became good enough to keep up with the machine that puts along with the rows of lettuce driving the pace of the crews. Thompson, in the end, shines a bright light on the underside of the economy, exposing injustices endured by low-paid laborers
My Personal Experience In the passage "The Unexpected Life Lessons of Mexican Food" the author Armando Montano talks about how he's felt the push and pull of growing up biracial in America. The author continues to talk about how he struggles with his family calling him two different races for example his Mexican side of the family calls him white and the other side calls him "wexican." Later on Montano speaks on an encounter that happened at a hotel that included his father and him being racially denied a room. Through all of these experiences, Montano learns how to cope with being biracial by cooking.
1. Write in MLA format all necessary publishing information. Peña, Matt De La. Mexican Whiteboy. New York: Delacorte, 2008. Print. 2.
In the article "In the Strawberry Fields", Eric Schlosser uses an abundance of rhetorical strategies to influence the audience. "In the Strawberry Fields" is honest and gets to the point of the illegal immigrants working. His in depth description of the migratory workforce in California proves how farmers who pick strawberries for a living are the lowest-paid, and hardest working, which makes it an unfavorable job amongst farmers. The author uses eloquent details to get the message across that California has also become one of the most dependent states to have the availability of cheap labor. He descriptively details the backbreaking work migrants perform and the financial unsteadiness to make readers aware of their hardships and motivate a
The Odyssey is one of the most famous and oldest adventure stories. Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garica McCall is a lot like The Odyssey in many ways. It tells the story of Odilia and her sisters as they return a dead man to his family and make their way home similar to what Odyessus did in The Odyssey. During their journey the Garza sisters go through tests and trials that are similar to The Odyssey as well. Throughout their adventure the sisters follow the steps of ‘the hero’s journey’ since they are called to adventure, complete the final battle, and return home, more bonded as sisters than before.
However, the fact is that most Americans have the impression that Hispanic immigrants are perceived as a threat for not assimilating into the American mainstream, more so into the Anglo-Protestant values. Why is that? Is it for fear that the Spanish Language may overrun the country? Similarly, Neil Foley, author of, Mexicans In The Making of America, asks the same questions, why fear? In his prologue chapter, Foley makes a point by proving the fact that in the past, Mexican immigrants were not a concern but were, “ let in to provide the labor force for the rapidly expanding economy”(2).
A unique writer is someone who expresses his or her feelings throughout his narratives. Junot Diaz in my opinion is one of those unique writers. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, raced only by his hard working mother, Junot Diaz learned very valuable lessons in his childhood that helped him become whom he is today. Not only does Junot Diaz write great stories, but he also tends to give us a feeling of what is meant to be an immigrant from the Dominican Republic in his stories. Diaz humbleness and compassion towards others can be seen in this writing.
In the text “Mexicans Begin Jogging”, it says “At the factory I worked in the fleck of rubber, under the press of an oven yellow flame.” Soto Lines 1-3 Thus Gary saying this, he also said “Over the fence, Soto,” he shouted, and I shouted that I was American. “No time for lies,” he said, and pressed A dollar in my palm, hurrying me Through the black door.” Furthermore Mexicans have to deal with the hard jobs of America because it’s the only America offers them in jobs (the hardest and dirtiest jobs) and they are not being appreciated for what they are doing.
He intended to show the public the horrifying effects capitalism had on workers in the Chicago meatpacking industry. He hoped his exposing would cause reforms. In his book, Sinclair described how workers labored long hours in cold, and cramped conditions. How they caught diseases, lost fingers, nails, and even limbs by acid, and unsanitary locations. However the public’s outcry was more focused on Sinclair uncovering of the products being sold to the general public, rather than workers plight.
The American dream is not as easy as people say it is. The American Dream is being able to afford the necessities you need, without having to struggle and suffer just to put food on a table for their families. People think it’s easy to live the American Dream, but little do they know that there are people out there struggling to support their family. The American Dream is difficult to achieve but very possible if people could find the opportunity and available to them.
Furthermore, in Steinbeck’s excerpt from “The Harvest Gypsies,” the way migrant workers are perceived is shown as well. For example, Steinbeck explains how migrant workers “have come into the country where, because of the movement necessary to make a living, they are not allowed any vote whatever, but are rather considered a properly unprivileged class” (Steinbeck, “Harvest”). Migrant workers are seen as an “unprivileged class,” highlighting the true image a majority of America perceives migrant workers as. They only wish to find work to provide for their family or themselves, but instead, the opinions of Americans influence their ability to be fulfilled in life. Therefore, the status and image of migrant workers, fictional or real, highlight the inability to truly feel accomplished or content with one’s
Las Vegas is where I was born and raised. That doesn’t mean that I just gave up on my Mexican culture. Like many others, I have a culture that is both American and Mexican. My culture has shaped my values, perceptions, and behaviors. The culture of my family, community, and society has made who I am as a person in numerous ways.
Mexican Culture: Customs and Traditions The Mexican culture is very diverse which has undergone many transformations over several decades and the culture varies widely throughout Mexico and the United States. I will be more focused on the other side of the border and express my findings about the Mexican culture in Mexico. According to woldatlas an online database, the majority of Mexicans live in cities like Mexico City with a population of 12 million Mexicans.
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