Both Enrique's Journey and Of Mice and Men build their stories around the common theme of the difficulties of migrants away from home. In Enrique's Journey, Sonia Nazario follows the journey of a young boy named Enrique as he attempts to reunite with his mother. Through Enrique's journey, Nazario portrays the harsh realities and dangers that migrants face, including human trafficking, gangs, and corrupt officials. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck tells the story of two migrant workers, Lennie and George, as they travel from place to place seeking work during the Great Depression. The novel also depicts the harsh conditions and struggles that migrants faced during this time, including poverty, discrimination, and loneliness.
Both authors are rather blunt with their descriptions of the harsh realities migrants face. Steinbeck talks more about the working conditions, where he says, "We work up a stake and then we blow it all down in the bush" (Steinbeck, 13). This quote shows the harsh reality of migrant workers who work to save money but end up losing it all. On the other hand, Nazario takes a different approach, writing mostly about the quality of life of migrants. She writes, "He has not eaten
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In Of Mice and Men, Lenny and George are fleeing persecution and looking for a more stable life, as seen in the quote: "We're gonna have a little place and a couple of acres, and a cow and some pigs" (Steinbeck, 14). In Enrique's Journey, Enrique is looking to flee persecution and danger and find his mother. Some of the danger can be seen in this quote: "Robbers riddle their car with bullets. Enrique's uncles careen off the road. The thieves shoot Uncle Marco three times in the chest and once in the leg. They shoot his brother in the face. Both die" (Nazario, chapter 1). These shared factors behind migration show the desperation of migrants who seek a better