Summary Of Signs Preceding The End Of The World

Yuri Herrera, in Signs Preceding the End of the World, and Alex Rivera’s Sleep Dealer both promote the idea that crime may be necessary to get what we want by creating a story where the only way to success is through crime.
Both Herrera and Rivera use crime to show that it can be used to escape. For example, in Signs Preceding the End of the World, Makina’s family was involved with the illegal parts of their small town. To get away from this, Makina’s brother crossed the border illegally and began a new life. Herrera expressed, “‘I’m off to claim what’s ours,’” (p.29). Makina’s brother said this right before he left to go to America. He did this so he could get what they rightfully deserved. Additionally, in Sleep Dealer, Memo had a radio transmitter that could go onto different frequencies and hear what they were saying. This led him to find a station used by the American government. The government figured out someone was on their frequency and sent a drone to destroy the
location where the transmission came from which led to the death of Memo’s father who was there at the time. This shows how the two use crime to escape because, in both instances, Memo and Makina’s brother wanted to leave their surroundings and get a sense of a new life; however, Makina’s brother did get a new life since he left, whereas Memo didn’t physically leave until later. In conclusion, based on both stories, crime has to be used in order to escape.
Secondly, Herrera and Rivera use fake identification to convey the theme that crime is necessary to get what we desire. For instance, in Signs Preceding the End of the World, after Makina’s brother traveled through the US Mexico border, he needed new identification. Herrera stated, “Makina’s brother would pass himself off as the other….. Plus, he could keep the kid’s papers, his name, and his numbers,” (p. 88). Makina’s brother made a deal with a family to go into the US army instead of their son. In exchange, Makina’s brother would be compensated and given papers that would keep him in the country. He did this knowing it was a criminal offense; he just needed money and papers to stay in the country. Furthermore, in Sleep Dealer, Luz fakes her true identity and motives towards Memo. Initially, Luz uses their memories together and uploads them online to get money to pay her debts. However, later, she grows a true affection for him. The theme of crime was asserted in both works because, in order to get what Luz and Makina’s brother wanted, they had to resort to crime to get it. In conclusion, false identity, in both Herrera’s book and Rivera’s movie, is used in order to get what the characters want, even if it is illegal.
Lastly, as portrayed in both creations, freedom can be achieved through crime.
In Signs Preceding the End of the World, after Makina finds her brother, Chucho finds her and takes her to get her new identification. Herrera wrote, “‘I’ve been skinned,’” (p. 106). Makina stated this when she was given a new name, numbers, papers, new trade, and a new house. She said this because it was almost as if she shed her shell that included everything from her past, including her mother.Moreover, in Sleep Dealer, Luz, Memo, and Rudy decide to get the government out of the river and out of Memo’s town. They do this by blowing up the dam and letting the water run freely through the river. This amplifies the thought of crime that is presented by both authors because, in the book and the movie, the characters needed to use crime to be free of their past, specifically in Herrera’s book, and their government, specifically in Rivera’s movie. Ultimately, as stated by both authors, crime is necessary to gain
freedom.
In summation, Herrera’s Signs Preceding the End of the World and Rivera’s Sleep Dealer both use the theme of crime to stimulate the thought that crime is needed in order to obtain what one wants. This is both important to literature and life. Both show that anyone is capable of committing a crime in order gain something.