Faith
The Jimenez family experiences the trials and tribulations of living a nomadic life while facing poverty. The family maintains hope because of their strong sense of faith that helps them endure the hardships. Through the circuit, the family contends with unexpected tragedies that worsen their current situation. In such moments of adversities, they turn to Virgen de Guadalupe and pray for strength to go on. In the chapter “Miracle in Tent City”, Torito falls sick and almost succumbs but pulls through and thus a miracle that strengthens their faith.
Immigration
The story delves into the immigration policies during the mid-20th century, a subject that is still controversial in the current society. It focuses on the immigrant experience of families seeking to make a living across the border while on the move. The Jimenez family is part of the immigrants crossing to offer the cheap labor required by the farmers. The lack of jobs and poverty forces the family to move from one camp to the next to take advantage of the opportunities. Francisco witnesses a raid by the immigration enforcement officials taking away illegal aliens without credentials. The narrator describes the pressure of crossing the border and working in the United States illegally.
Labour Camps
The Jimenez families adopt a wandering lifestyle circuiting through labor camps with the different crop seasons. The temporary housings become their homes symbolizing the uncertainty of their way of life. Moreover, the camps represent their resilience and hard work for they work through all the crop seasons. They adjust their schedule and living situations to match the harvest seasons of the various produce.
Old Pot
The matriarch of the family sacrifices by working on the farms while also cooking for the emigrants at the labor camps. The old pot she uses to prepare the meals has endured through the years despite the dents and grooves. It symbolizes Mama’s character as she has been through hardships while acting as a pillar of her family. Even though Papa suffers from physical issues to work anymore she takes on the responsibility to solely provide.
