Fresh Fruit Broken Bodies Book Report

Anthropologist Seth Holmes is well known for his book Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies. During his years of field work he wrote this book describing his experience and how he had to cross the border. He examines how Mexican migrants live their lives, including the struggles and sufferings they go through in their everyday life. He doesn't only talk about what he saw or the observations he made but he actually go to live with a group of Mexicans and life through their experience of life. I found that very interesting because people don’t know about a culture until they actually have to live in that culture. Holmes wanted to get accurate information on the research he was studying so he had to live with Mexican migrants from Oaxaca, Mexico. Holmes …show more content…
Most people don’t even know where the fruit comes from, they won’t know who picks that fruit for them. He wanted people to experience the same experience as the Trique by reading the book. He accomplished it because i felt as if i had the same problems as the Trique tribe he explains how these people lived in fear not knowing if one day from work they wouldn't be able to come back because they got deported. Holmes goal was for people to see the kind of struggles these migrant workers go through. And to understand that since migrants are only opened for certain shops they have to do farm work, but all the farm work causes health problems for them. People wonder why migrants come to the U.S if they live and fear and deal with health issues. It's the fact that they have to come here because back in their home their is no jobs or resources for a better future of their kids and for themselves. Holmes ask one of the migrant workers if crossing illegally was worth it and worth going to jail and the migrant worker tells him that it’s something they have to do in order to make money and be able to support the rest of their …show more content…
The author knows a lot about the subjects he basically considers them as family. It’s important for the researcher to get to know his subjects in depth and personal. I think Holmes did a good job with that, some of the Trique members were his compadre and in their culture having someone as a compadre isn't just any random person they choose significant people. That is one of the reasons why the book show a lot of in depth research because Holmes became so close to them that all the information is the book is credible. This book helps the audience recognize these migrant workers for what they do and not for what they are. Me being a hispanic, the book is very reliable, it relates to some of the stories my family has told me and basically the knowledge I have on migrants. One of the reasons why this book was a success was the fact that Holmes actually lived with these people, he actually learned their culture even though Holmes is from a different ethnicity as them. The relationship that Holmes made with these people is significant and makes the book significant because the way I see it is not a lot of people are willing to represent these people. They are already discriminated in the U.S most people don’t even want them in the U.S and Holmes even lives with these people he made a strong relationship and wrote this book to let the audience know that these people need representation and can’t be living in the invisible world.