photo by Mariano Arriaga
THE RINCONS:
América Rincón is 17 years old and the youngest child of eight who are protected by their father from poverty, crime and harm. One day she follows Cándido, her sister Resurrección‘s former husband, from Mexico to California because of her view of the American Dream which is based on the movies and the novels she has read and has seen in Mexico (p.233). She dreams of an own apartment, a car, a TV and a refrigerator, a neighbourhood with shops and markets not far away, a garden with trees where she can keep chickens (p.28/29). América and Cándido cross the border illegally in search of a new and better life. But they don‘t find work and there is a lack of money. Therefore they must reduce their standard of living down to a level which is below the standard of an average Mexican family. América is disappointed because they have to settle in a canyon without clean water, food or any sanitation. All the time there is also the fear of being found by the police so they try to hide in the wilderness. But she is willing to work as hard as possible for the realization of her dreams. Their lives are dependent on the money they can earn at the labour exchange. But they cannot protect themselves from criminal acts and so they are robbed several times. Afterwards they have to start from scratch. América acts against her principles when she steals some fruit from a garden, though she has promised not to become a criminal. But now hunger is more important than any scruples. América doesn‘t know how to handle her pregnancy, and she fears for her baby‘s health. Later the baby is the main reason why América doesn‘t want to stay in the USA any longer. All the time she misses her mother, her sisters and her home (p. 273) and she starts to a hate Cándido more and more because he has not kept his promises of a better life (p. 273). She blames him for the current situation, though she still loves him. América doesn‘t see any perspective for her daughter (p. 323) and because of the importance of her baby, she wants to return home at any price, even without Cándido. But they don‘t have the money to go home, and therefore América resigns to doing nothing. She is absolutely hopeless (p.326). Though América loves the beautiful landscape and the peace in California (p. 326) she realizes at the end of the story that there isn‘t any hope or perspective for poor, illegal Mexicans in the USA. She goes through a learning process and is not naive anymore. It is not easy to live the American Dream.
Cándido Rincón is 33 years old and, like América born in Tepotzlán, Mexico. His family is, like most people in his country, very poor and religious. This is reflected by his prayers when his baby appears (p. 297). After a hard childhood because of his mother‘s death, Cándido has never experienced any love (p.322), except from his aunt who raised him. He has still a lot of nightmares because of this horrible time in his life. His financial situation forces him to work in the US for some seasons. Therefore he is respected by the other citizens because he earns a lot of money by Mexican standards. But then his first wife Resurrección leaves him for another man. That‘s why he starts to drink, and his life changes. After meeting América in town years later, he falls in love with her and follows with her and the two of them try to realise the American Dream. They cross the border.
All the time he stays in die US, he is without luck, and therefore he compares his current situation with Christ‘s carrying the cross (p.307). His bad luck starts with the theft at the border and goes on with a car accident and a big fire in the canyon he is blamed for by the Americans.
He is very proud of his baby and dreams of an excellent future for it. But when he realizes that his baby is not a son, he becomes a little disappointed because he still believes in Mexican values (p.298). (Explanation of the Mexican values!?) After his daughter‘s birth he also starts to steal, since he doesn‘t see any other chance to survive. But he has the intention to ( “not”?) take all the things he has stolen back when he will have enough money. Later he starts to hate the Americans more and more because of their arrogance, and so he doesn‘t want to return the things anymore (p.306).
When he sees his wife and his daughter in the provisional scale, he begins to realize that he is about to destroy the life of three people, the life of his wife América, of his daughter and, of course, his own life (p.322). Though he is able to work very hard and long (e.g. in the labour exchange) and can organize things well, he can‘t offer his wife and daughter a good and safe life (p.322). That is why he has his doubts, and thoughts of worthlessness start to come to his mind (p.322). He is full of self-pity and thinks about running away from all responsibilities or of dying. But then he becomes aware that he loves América and that she is the most important person in his life. Cándido also plays with die idea of returning to Mexico, but he is sure that he would lose América at home (p.327) So he stays in a country where he has to do anything for food. One time he is so hungry that he eats dog food and the meat of a cat.
Also Cándido lives through a learning process. He doesn‘t have any illusions about realizing his dreams after the fire. When their baby dies at the end of the story, he becomes aware that there is more to life than money and wealth.
Written by ANNA-DENISE RHEINLÄNDER
THE MOSSBACHERS:
Delaney, Kyra, and Jordan Mossbacher live with their dogs Osbert and Sacheverell and their Siamese cat Dame Edith in an exclusive housing development in Arroyo Blanco in Los Angeles, CA. They are agnostic liberals and they are members of the Sierra Club, Save the Children, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Democratic Party. They are joggers, non-smokers, and vegetarians. They attempt to live the American dream.
Delaney Mossbacher has lived in L.A. for two years. After his divorce from his first wife, he married Kyra and moved with her to Arroyo Blanco to live close to nature. From home he writes a monthly column called “Pilgrim at Topanga Creek” about the local ecology for `Wide Open Spaces`. When he does not write, he is out walking and observing nature. In Delaney`s life everything has its place. While Kyra works at her office, he takes care of Jordan. It is all right to him that she is the chief breadwinner. In the course of the story Delaney`s opinions about the wall, that is build around Arroyo Blanco, and about immigrants change. At the beginning of the story he is a liberal humanist who is interested in nature and in wild animals. His guiding principle is, “Immigrants are the lifeblood of this country”, but this view is put to the test when he hits Candido with his car and so his values begin to crumble. Delaney`s disgust even increases when he finds the dirty sleeping bags on his hike and when robbers steel Delaney`s car. As a result he directs his rage against all immigrants onto Candido. The guilt he feels after the accident turns into anger and outrage. Delaney believes that the Mexicans want to turn the world into a “garbage dump little Tijuana”. That is the reason why he begins to like the wall.
He moved to Arroyo Blanco because he wanted to live close to nature. That is why he does not like the wall but he accepts it. However at the end of the story Delaney likes the wall and puts up the cameras in addition to it. His driving a Japanese car is a symbol of his cosmopolitanism.
Kyra Mossbacher is Delaney`s second wife. She is a successful real estate agent in her middle thirties, working for Mike Bender Reality, Inc. Kyra is responsible for closing up five houses every night, six days a week. She is sceptical about Mexicans because they scare buyers away from the houses that she wants to sell. Her favourite house is the Da Ros place where she feels more comfortable than in her own house. In her drive to succeed in business she forgets that she has always promised herself to spend more time with her family. She is the chief breadwinner in the family. To release from sorrow, tension, and worry, Kyra has sex; it is therapeutic for her. That is why there is no passion when Kyra and Delaney sleep together.
Jordan Mossbacher is six years old and addicted to computer games, superheroes and baseball tickets. Every morning he gets his necessary vitamins.
Written by JACQUELINE GIESE
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