The next text set we studied were border crossing texts. This text set is another important one, especially given our current cultural climate, and even more specifically since our last presidential election. I have always been sympathetic to immigrants because I think respect the need to do whatever it takes to make a better life for oneself and one's family. I think the main reason that people want to make our borders stricter and harsher is out of irrational fear. Stories like the ones we read in class are so important because they put the reader in another person's shoes. We are able to better understand the humanity of immigrants and better empathize with them. I definitely felt this way after this text set, and especially after the World Relief Refugee Simulation that I participated in last quarter.
Will Hobb's Crossing the Wire follows 15-year-old Victor as he makes multiple attempts to cross the border from Mexico into Arizona. Victor's family is struggling to make enough money to survive after the death of his father and poor farming seasons. Victor sees going to America to find work so that he can send money back to his family as his only option. Otherwise, his family may be forced into living on the streets and begging for money. Victor's journey is not quickly successful, but eventually he makes it to the United States and is able to help his family survive.
The thing that struck me most about this text was Victor's resilience. Time and time again, he gets close but fails to make it to safety. Nonetheless, Victor persists until he able to reach his goal. Through this book, I learned the absolute struggle that it takes just to make ends meet. This text helps readers to see that immigrants are not violent and they aren't selfish. In fact, it is quite the opposite because they are willing to sacrifice themselves in order to better the lives of their families. Below is my full response to the text:
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