The Mexican
The Mexican, written during the Mexican Revolution is a short story written by Jack London in 1911. The story centers on Felipe Rivera, a boy no more than eighteen, who quiet, self-sacrificing and a loner. He was very dark, mysterious and his eyes appeared snakelike and venomous. He was not impressive to the people he encountered and members of the Junta suspected him of being a spy and working for the secret service of Diaz. He consistently showed loyalty and generosity, and the members of the Junta still did not did not like or trust him.
Felipe presents himself to the office of the Junta and stated he wanted to work for the Revolution. They offered to let him work for the Revolution doing menial tasks that were meant to discourage him so he would leave. He continued to show up day after day doing the menial tasks. He would disappear from the Junta for days and weeks at a time. Each time he came back, he would appear beaten and battered but he we would provide them the things they needed giving them money for rent, and postage. Though they never questioned where he got the money, everyone felt it could have been the cursed gold of Diaz. They feared him and never questioned about the money or his whereabouts. They assumed he was a frequenter of low places. At one point, he was dispatched south because the line of communication was lost against some active revolutionist’s. When he returned Juan Alvarado, the federal commander was dead.
A crisis at the Junta had approached and the need for money was greater than ever before. The patriots had given their last cent. The Revolution was hanging on the balance. One Yankee with a hundred IWW men, waited to cross over the border to begin the conquest on Lower California but they lacked guns and ammunition. Felipe knew what he needed to do to get the money. He told the members of the Junta would return in three weeks and to order the guns.
During Felipe’s disappearances at the Junta he had been boxing. Felipe
Felipe presents himself to the office of the Junta and stated he wanted to work for the Revolution. They offered to let him work for the Revolution doing menial tasks that were meant to discourage him so he would leave. He continued to show up day after day doing the menial tasks. He would disappear from the Junta for days and weeks at a time. Each time he came back, he would appear beaten and battered but he we would provide them the things they needed giving them money for rent, and postage. Though they never questioned where he got the money, everyone felt it could have been the cursed gold of Diaz. They feared him and never questioned about the money or his whereabouts. They assumed he was a frequenter of low places. At one point, he was dispatched south because the line of communication was lost against some active revolutionist’s. When he returned Juan Alvarado, the federal commander was dead.
A crisis at the Junta had approached and the need for money was greater than ever before. The patriots had given their last cent. The Revolution was hanging on the balance. One Yankee with a hundred IWW men, waited to cross over the border to begin the conquest on Lower California but they lacked guns and ammunition. Felipe knew what he needed to do to get the money. He told the members of the Junta would return in three weeks and to order the guns.
During Felipe’s disappearances at the Junta he had been boxing. Felipe