Riviera part 2

Although i was COMPLETELY lost during the part of the book, the end was worth all the confusion. The non-chronological order of the book revealed to us how confused the boy was himself and I was certainly able to relate due to the fact that I was utterly confused myself. However, through the simple language and fragmented stories it made the entire meaning of the novel more powerful. Through the eyes of a child we can see the boys' reactions added in with what we know as young adults. The simplicity put in plain view how the campesinos were being mistreated and how disease and poverty affected the young boy's mental state.

The title has always fascinated me because, before reading the book, it seemed as though this was a children's novel so I thought that fantasy would some how be incorporated. Then after reading the background of the author, I thought that the earth "devouring" someone perhaps referred to the physical and natural disasters that Mexican workers had to face everyday working on the earth. However, it was completely different! "...y no se lo trago la tierra" referred to the young boy who was deeply concerned about what would happen to him if he were to speak blasphemy against God. Overall this book helped me see that despite the hardships that the chicanos faced, such as poverty, sickness and mistreatment, they still continued to hope for "the arrival" of their people as a whole