In the novel The Devil’s Highway, author Luis Alberto Urrea describes the seemingly impassable struggles immigrants must overcome when travelling from Mexico to the United States. The story follows the deadly journey of a group of undocumented male immigrants who in 2001 attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona through a desolate area known as the Devil’s Highway. Urrea provides the reader with not only a compelling story but also a complex historical compilation of information on the Mexico-United States border conflict in terms of culture, geography, power dynamics, and immigration policy.
The novel is organized into four major sections, with each divided further into separate chapters. Part one provides …show more content…
He gives names and lives to the people whom a tabloid headline covering the event would simply look over. I find that, as a history student, the practice tends to focus more on what an individual did rather than who they are. On the other hand, Urrea’s approach is refreshing and allows the reader to connect to the characters on a deeper level. The novel serves not only an as in depth analysis of border issues, but also heart-wrenching details of real people who are affected by, live through, and may die by these issues. One of the most powerful and moving chapters, titled “Killed by the Light,” lies in the middle of the novel and explains the six blistering stages of hyperthermia in scattered, rhythmic sentences. Readers may be shocked but have no choice but to feel the same pain and suffering. Urrea tells the story of these men with unquestionable compassion by weaving emotion and dark truth …show more content…
It is very insightful on the history and politics of the Mexican–U.S. border control and raises awareness of the difficulty and dangers of crossing the border undocumented that are still faced by immigrants today. This novel would be best suited for those interested in the nonfiction genre, immigration, border politics, and the subject of history. However, it is not limited to any specific group as Urrea addresses the issue of immigration from a human perspective that anyone with a basic sense of compassion will understand and sympathize for. His evident experience as a poet and novelist captures the interest of the reader. The Devil’s Highway is a powerful and informative narrative that leaves much to contemplate in the minds of academic and recreational readers
The novel is organized into four major sections, with each divided further into separate chapters. Part one provides …show more content…
He gives names and lives to the people whom a tabloid headline covering the event would simply look over. I find that, as a history student, the practice tends to focus more on what an individual did rather than who they are. On the other hand, Urrea’s approach is refreshing and allows the reader to connect to the characters on a deeper level. The novel serves not only an as in depth analysis of border issues, but also heart-wrenching details of real people who are affected by, live through, and may die by these issues. One of the most powerful and moving chapters, titled “Killed by the Light,” lies in the middle of the novel and explains the six blistering stages of hyperthermia in scattered, rhythmic sentences. Readers may be shocked but have no choice but to feel the same pain and suffering. Urrea tells the story of these men with unquestionable compassion by weaving emotion and dark truth …show more content…
It is very insightful on the history and politics of the Mexican–U.S. border control and raises awareness of the difficulty and dangers of crossing the border undocumented that are still faced by immigrants today. This novel would be best suited for those interested in the nonfiction genre, immigration, border politics, and the subject of history. However, it is not limited to any specific group as Urrea addresses the issue of immigration from a human perspective that anyone with a basic sense of compassion will understand and sympathize for. His evident experience as a poet and novelist captures the interest of the reader. The Devil’s Highway is a powerful and informative narrative that leaves much to contemplate in the minds of academic and recreational readers