I'll begin by saying that this book was not at all what I expected, as I'm sure many of you have found. My first impression, as I always judge books by their cover, informed me that it would be a fairly easy read, perhaps even a childrens book about a migrant boy in Mexico. I was definitely surprised when I started reading it and realized that it was not quite that at all. Although I was right in the sense that it is about a migrant boy living between Texas and Mexico (?) it is definitely a little more advanced than most childrens novels. I suppose if it was read in English, it would perhaps target a younger audience.
Anyway, I decided to do some research on Tomas Rivera because I find that prior to reading, knowledge of the author can make the "big picture" a lot easier to understand. This was definitely the case here. After learning a bit about him, his life, and his experiences, it made the book a bit easier to understand and relate to. Like I'm sure many of us will mention, the style and structure in which the novel (?) was written did really confuse me at first. I have a feeling everything will come together at some point in the book, and things will start to make sense. I think it's clear that we all need to have the general idea that the novel is a collection of short stories/experiences of this boy. Perhaps the reason the chapters seem so mixed up is because this is truly the way he remembers his life, as a big bluur of experiences and thoughts.
I quite enjoy the way Tomas Rivera writes these long, semi confusing dragged out sentences, some of which seem to be in Spanglish, or in this case what I like to call "Tex Mex". The language used is very colloquial Mexican which I love and makes me laugh. As for the story, Rivera wants us to have extreme compassion for the main characters position and the hardships he faces in his difficult life in the South, and as a Latino living in the United States. He makes us realize that many things haven't changed since the time this book is set in, and we currently still face a lot of issues relevant to the novel.
I quite enjoy the way Tomas Rivera writes these long, semi confusing dragged out sentences, some of which seem to be in Spanglish, or in this case what I like to call "Tex Mex". The language used is very colloquial Mexican which I love and makes me laugh. As for the story, Rivera wants us to have extreme compassion for the main characters position and the hardships he faces in his difficult life in the South, and as a Latino living in the United States. He makes us realize that many things haven't changed since the time this book is set in, and we currently still face a lot of issues relevant to the novel.
1 comment:
Hey Kaan,
Yah, I was thinking that it was between Mexico and Texas as well (the sweat, the heatstroke, the dust....) but on two occasions they have mentioned 'the north' which confuses me a little...would texas actually be considered 'the north'?
oooo, i like your comment on how the confusion of the chapters may reflect how the boy remembers his life! Awesome insight!! I'm interested to ask you about the facts you found on Rivera's life...see you in class!
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