The Hunted Rabbit
Holmes asserts, "Joaquin tells me not to look at the chopper because it can see my eyes. I remember that Triqui hunters in the mountains of Oaxaca use flashlights at dusk to find the eyes of rabbits in order to shoot them. I feel like a rabbit, vulnerable and hunted. Macario hides under a cactus that has a rattlesnake rattling at him, but he does not move for fear of being seen." This imagery portrays the fear and vulnerability experienced by migrant workers as they attempt to cross the border. Furthermore, the comparison to rabbits hunted by flashlights accentuates their helplessness and the constant threat of being caught. The imagery of Macario hiding under a cactus with a rattlesnake highlights the peril they face. This scene encapsulates the extreme measures they must take to avoid detection.
Desert Struggle
The following imagery uses the harsh landscape of the desert to mirror the physical and emotional struggle of the migrant workers. "We continue walking and running, occasionally ducking under or climbing over fences. We pull cactus spines out of our shins from cacti we did not see in the dark night. We walk without talking, just breathing loudly and thinking. I think of the mountains to our right and how the desert might be beautiful under different circumstances." The act of pulling cactus spines from their shins emphasizes the pain and obstacles they face. Moreover, the silence among the group, broken only by the sound of their labored breathing, reflects their exhaustion. The narrator's contemplation of the desert's beauty under different circumstances highlights the tragic irony of their situation.
Blisters and Grasshoppers
The imagery in this passage contrasts the physical realities of the journey with moments of communal sharing and cultural connection. The narrator states, "After two more hours of hiking, we stop again in a dry creek. One of the younger men enlists help pulling large cactus spines from one of his legs. We sit in a circle sharing food. Two people share cooked grasshoppers from the open-air market in Tlaxiaco. The tastes link us to loved ones and Oaxaca." The act of pulling cactus spines from their legs emphasizes the physical toll of their trek. However, the sharing of food reminds the migrants of their homeland and the loved ones they left behind. This juxtaposition highlights the migrants' efforts to maintain a sense of community and cultural identity amidst their arduous journey.
Pain and Beauty
The narrator says, "Even the vistas that were so sublime and beautiful to me had come to mean ugliness, pain, and work to the pickers. On multiple occasions, my Triqui companions responded with confusion to my exclamations about the area’s beauty and explained that the fields were 'pure work' (puro trabajo)." This imagery highlights the contrast between the narrator's perception of the landscape and the migrant workers' lived experience. For the narrator, the vistas are visually stunning and hold aesthetic value. However, for the pickers, these same landscapes symbolize hard labor and suffering. The term "pure work" strips away any romantic notion of the fields, reducing them to a site of exploitation and pain.
The Desert Town of Altar
Holmes asserts, "There are people, mostly men, from all over Mexico and Latin America; some appear to be chilangos [people from Mexico City] but most look like campesinos from rural Mexico. The only shops in town are small moneychangers, a Western Union, a few restaurants, grocery stores with aisles full of water bottles and Gatorade, and open-air markets full of dark-colored clothing and small backpacks." This passage provides a vivid snapshot of the desert town of Altar highlighting its role as a transient space for migrants. The diverse backgrounds of the people in town reflect the widespread nature of migration. Additionally, the specific details about the types of shops and their merchandise underscore the survival-focused nature of this community.
