The initial reaction towards the
description of violence, death, hopelessness was just a reminder of the pain
that at times, comes along with the American dream. We've all joked about
the U.S.-Mexico border but the truth is that the details are ugly and far from
a laughing matter.
The art installation illustrates the few items that
hold so much value and so much reliance for the death-defying migrants.
Martinez's multiple references to the Arizona heat provide an example of nature
filling the role of the antagonist. Installations of the items being
carried throughout the journey across the desert offers life altering artwork
and even community journalism as it plays a role in raising awareness.
Martinez uses descriptive language in painting a picture early and often in her
essay. She possesses a journalistic style in being engaging,
straightforward while using factual information to support her claim. She
uses anecdotes of relatable characters such as Yolanda Gonzales who poured her
last drops of water from her jug into her daughter's bottle (568).
Martinez then goes on to mention brief but effective scenarios faced by
immigrants that include scam artists, smugglers, and old socks lying around
(569). Her words hold nothing back as she refuses to sugarcoat
anything. Instead, she reminds the reader of the courage and unshakable
characteristics these people possess. It reminds me of a feature story
one can find in a newspaper.
As Martinez states, "To speak of an
immigrant's plight only in terms of desperation fails to honor his or her full
humanity," I am reminded that everybody has an interesting story to tell
of their lives because they are human. It's very easy to become
desensitized to constantly hearing tragic tales in the news but these victims should
not go unnoticed. "I need you . . . . I hope that very soon we can
be together forever," presents the ongoing battle between hope and sorrow
as people attempt to reach the light at the end of the scorching tunnel.
No comments:
Post a Comment