After reading the first four chapters of The Devil’s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea, I gained more insight about the severe conditions which many immigrants attempt to overcome when trying to recreate a better life. Urrea uses vivid imagery to convey his thoughts. For example, he says “Dust devils, dead creosote rattling like diamondbacks, the taunting icy chip of sunlight reflected off a high-flying plane” (Urrea 14). His diction delivers clear meaning to help readers genuinely grasp what he is describing. Unlike a movie, the visual aspect in a book is seen through one’s mind, not the eyes. As a result, Urrea speaks so graphically, almost to the point of overly exaggerating, to help the readers picture what he experiences
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It was interesting to read about the harsh reality which immigrants endure in order to come to the United States, as I personally know undocumented child immigrants. Although my roommate isn’t an immigrant, his grandparents were illegal immigrants who experienced similar hardships as those described by Urrea.
Even within the first four chapters, Urrea sheds light upon how many immigrants are treated extremely poorly. Rather than being deprived of assistance, the author implies that the immigrants are humans, just like every American-born citizen. The fact that these immigrants are deprived of necessary help is demoralizing, as they have already been through so much more than what an average American can even imagine. Growing up here in the Bay Area, many students are sheltered from the harsh realities which many people live through, which is why it’s difficult for us to understand how privileged we are to be here. As a result, I’m looking forward to see more of what Urrea depicts in order to see the lives of some other people.