The Devil's Highway Analysis
The Devil’s Highway is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a national best seller written by Luis Alberto Urrea. The novel is based on a true story and tragedy that occurred in May 2001. This tragedy is in regards to the Yuma-14 and their attempt to cross the Mexican border into the southern region of Arizona. This group of 26 is the largest documented group to attempt to cross into the United States and the deadliest attempt that resulted in 14 deaths. The novel presents the story of the Yuma-14, however, it is not just the story of their journey, but the greater issues and concerns regarding immigration. The novel begins by providing historical context on immigration and the Devil’s Highway. The book states that the first documented death in the area occurred in 1541. The part of the border that the Yuma-14 was
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This novel did not just touch on the Yuma-14, but about the bigger issue of immigration that is plaguing the United States.
One thing that I found to be very interesting in the novel is that many of the twenty-six men were only going to the United States for the short-term and expected to return back to Mexico within a year or two. In addition to this, I found the reasons that these men were going to the United States to be very respectable. For example, Reymundo Barreda “had resolved to go north to expand and reroof his small house as a gift for his wife” (Urrea, 51). All of the men are trying to earn enough money in the United States for their families.
Another thing that I found to be infuriating is that many men pay Coyotes to help them with the journey across the border and trust them with their lives, but are often abandoned. This infuriated me, especially with Mendez, who left the men to die after taking their cash and tried to save himself. The men were all in that situation because Mendez had gotten lost and they had to walk around aimlessly in the desert
This novel did not just touch on the Yuma-14, but about the bigger issue of immigration that is plaguing the United States.
One thing that I found to be very interesting in the novel is that many of the twenty-six men were only going to the United States for the short-term and expected to return back to Mexico within a year or two. In addition to this, I found the reasons that these men were going to the United States to be very respectable. For example, Reymundo Barreda “had resolved to go north to expand and reroof his small house as a gift for his wife” (Urrea, 51). All of the men are trying to earn enough money in the United States for their families.
Another thing that I found to be infuriating is that many men pay Coyotes to help them with the journey across the border and trust them with their lives, but are often abandoned. This infuriated me, especially with Mendez, who left the men to die after taking their cash and tried to save himself. The men were all in that situation because Mendez had gotten lost and they had to walk around aimlessly in the desert