Rosenberg's Children Of Cain

Children Of Cain Rosenberg’s novel Children of Cain displays a strong sense of narrative, as she looks deeper into the shocking accounts of violence in Latin America to write a book that explores the continent’s persona. Rosenberg begins each of the six chapters with a story of an individual living in one of these broken states, each weaving important information in order for us as readers to place these affairs into context. It allows the reader to better understand what citizens in each state have to go through. As you read on in the book the chapters soon begin to rapidly unfold and expand into the country’s history, politics, as well as her own personal observation. Issues the Author highlights in her book are issues that fill newspapers …show more content…
In Peru many habitants are immigrants in search for work in the contraband markets. When work is found immigrants go back to their home countries to bring back their families. “The women sell food on the street; the boys shine shoes or wash cars for a few pennies a day” (p.158). All this comes down to hope and promise. If they wait long enough “there is promise of electricity, water, and a job in the contraband market” (p.159). Citizens of Peru don’t become rich from living and working off the land but by inheriting their wealth from generations. Rosenberg states that “…the rich make their money the old-fashioned way; they inherit it. Even the laziest, stupidest rich man dies rich. The cleverest, hardest-working poor man will always be poor” (p.177). Success is basically a social aspect that citizens are blessed with, talent and industry means nothing in Latin America. There really is no need to work hard, one won’t get anywhere, but instead “it is extremely useful to cultivate friendships with as many important people as possible” (p.178). The government promised many citizens houses but nothing happened, instead many habitants built wooden and straw houses on landowners property and there was nothing they could do. Not only were citizens struggling with their housing problems but schools were as well. The University of San Marcos was not in its greatest shape. Lack of funding caused electricity shortages as well as limited maintenance which made “san Marcos resemble the site of a bomber attack, the whole place littered with debris, covered with sand, and scattered with a few scrawny trees” (p.184). It came down to the attitudes of those in rule. Peru had leaders in which took the interest of the poor to heart but all their plans failed. “They have found themselves prisoners of the class differences, corruption, poverty, and lethargy of their society” (p.191). These leaders lacked