The Devils Highway free essay sample

Urrea is an author who wrote a book based on an investigative report concerning the twenty six men who attempted to cross the Mexican border in 2001. This deadly desert and fascinating book is titled â€Å"The Devil’s Highway†. Many souls that attempted to cross this died whether it was for pleasure or for opportunity. Both intentions ended in tragedy. The Devil’s highway is known to have evil spirits known from the Indian culture such as the coyote spirit and the evil witch. The desert contained nocturnal animals that are â€Å"poisonous and alien† such as: sidewinders, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, Gila monsters, killer bees, scorpions, giant centipedes, black widows, tarantulas etc. The main obstacle that stood in all the illegal immigrants way was the heat. The heat most definitely killed almost anyone who stepped foot on the desert. They never had enough water. Even the people who went to the desert just to sit and relaxed were cooked up in the heat because they didn’t have enough water with them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Devils Highway or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this deadly dessert, the border lines are observed, inspected and secured by the border patrol. The border line is divided into sectors known as Tucson and Yuma. Urrea’s view of the border patrol is not so much as negative or positive. He describes it in a way where he portrays that they’re â€Å"just doing their job†. The border patrol played cruel jokes on the illegal immigrants such as: throwing the dead snake to scare them. Illegal immigrants made the choice to cross the devil’s highway because they believed it wasn’t as highly patrolled as other areas are. The process of crossing this desert is actually more than you think. A group who decides to go all at once meet with the person of their hometown who obviously has knowledge about crossing the border. This man’s name is Don Moi and he is known as a recruiter. He will gather information and contact and recruit more people. The immigrants who want to cross are guided by people who know the route and the process and these people are known as coyotes. Before most of this process takes place, immigrants gather most of their money and even take out loans to pay the coyotes to guide them through the deadly desert. The coyote who led the twenty six men in 2001 is Jesus Ramos (a. k. a. Mendez). Fourteen of the illegal immigrants he led died in the desert in attempt to cross the border. These men were known as Yuma 14. Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Yuma 14? Urrea creates a balance of blame on the Mendez and the desert itself. If Mendez hadn’t drifted into a different route, the Yuma 14 could’ve possibly survived along with the other twelve. But the desert’s heat is what killed all fourteen. Dehydration had gotten to them all. Mendez in the end did not give a good impression at all. He had taken all the money of the ones who had survived along with him. He reassured that he would get them their water and that they could wait where they were for him. Instead he took one person along with him and all of the money and that portrayed the selfishness he has within. He was willing to risk other’s lives just so he can survive. I think Urrea believes it is Mendez’s responsibility for the men who died known as Yuma 14. Towards the end of the chapter, Urrea adds in Mendez’s letter. In the letter, he states, By way of this letter, I ask forgiveness and pardon for what happened in the Arizona desert, because I really am sorry from the bottom of my heart for what happened and it honestly wasn’t my intention to lead those people to their deaths. (Urrea 188) [quoted by: Mendez] This quote in Mendez’s letter is an apology. Therefore he already takes fault in the deaths of the Yuma 14. He led them in the wrong direction for a long time and they ran out energy and water. I don’t think Urrea would put the blame one the border patrol because he believes that the border patrol is just doing their job. The border patrol’s main focus is to save the people who are suffering trying to cross the desert. I believe the desert holds a lot more responsibility than the Mendez and the border patrol. Urrea goes into detail about hyperthermia. Hyperthermia has six stages—heat stress, heat fatigue, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These stages most likely lead to the death of immigrants trying to cross the boder. Urrea also proves that even people who go there to relax end up dying. Urrea’s focus on the desert showed how frightening and deadly it can be. He has provided facts and stories about the desert. He describes the disturbing details of the men’s bodies after it’s been in the sun for so long. He tells us the cruel games the border patrol play and yet he tells us about how they want to save the lives, too. He even says that the border patrol is afraid to travel through the desert. He provides stories of other people who have crossed the cruel dessert and he tells about the lives of the people involved in this incident. I believe that it is the desert that holds responsibility for the lives of Yuma 14. The Devils Highway free essay sample Urrea is an author who wrote a book based on an investigative report concerning the twenty six men who attempted to cross the Mexican border in 2001. This deadly desert and fascinating book is titled â€Å"The Devil’s Highway†. Many souls that attempted to cross this died whether it was for pleasure or for opportunity. Both intentions ended in tragedy. The Devil’s highway is known to have evil spirits known from the Indian culture such as the coyote spirit and the evil witch. The desert contained nocturnal animals that are â€Å"poisonous and alien† such as: sidewinders, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, Gila monsters, killer bees, scorpions, giant centipedes, black widows, tarantulas etc. The main obstacle that stood in all the illegal immigrants way was the heat. The heat most definitely killed almost anyone who stepped foot on the desert. They never had enough water. Even the people who went to the desert just to sit and relaxed were cooked up in the heat because they didn’t have enough water with them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Devils Highway or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this deadly dessert, the border lines are observed, inspected and secured by the border patrol. The border line is divided into sectors known as Tucson and Yuma. Urrea’s view of the border patrol is not so much as negative or positive. He describes it in a way where he portrays that they’re â€Å"just doing their job†. The border patrol played cruel jokes on the illegal immigrants such as: throwing the dead snake to scare them. Illegal immigrants made the choice to cross the devil’s highway because they believed it wasn’t as highly patrolled as other areas are. The process of crossing this desert is actually more than you think. A group who decides to go all at once meet with the person of their hometown who obviously has knowledge about crossing the border. This man’s name is Don Moi and he is known as a recruiter. He will gather information and contact and recruit more people. The immigrants who want to cross are guided by people who know the route and the process and these people are known as coyotes. Before most of this process takes place, immigrants gather most of their money and even take out loans to pay the coyotes to guide them through the deadly desert. The coyote who led the twenty six men in 2001 is Jesus Ramos (a. k. a. Mendez). Fourteen of the illegal immigrants he led died in the desert in attempt to cross the border. These men were known as Yuma 14. Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Yuma 14? Urrea creates a balance of blame on the Mendez and the desert itself. If Mendez hadn’t drifted into a different route, the Yuma 14 could’ve possibly survived along with the other twelve. But the desert’s heat is what killed all fourteen. Dehydration had gotten to them all. Mendez in the end did not give a good impression at all. He had taken all the money of the ones who had survived along with him. He reassured that he would get them their water and that they could wait where they were for him. Instead he took one person along with him and all of the money and that portrayed the selfishness he has within. He was willing to risk other’s lives just so he can survive. I think Urrea believes it is Mendez’s responsibility for the men who died known as Yuma 14. Towards the end of the chapter, Urrea adds in Mendez’s letter. In the letter, he states, By way of this letter, I ask forgiveness and pardon for what happened in the Arizona desert, because I really am sorry from the bottom of my heart for what happened and it honestly wasn’t my intention to lead those people to their deaths. (Urrea 188) [quoted by: Mendez] This quote in Mendez’s letter is an apology. Therefore he already takes fault in the deaths of the Yuma 14. He led them in the wrong direction for a long time and they ran out energy and water. I don’t think Urrea would put the blame one the border patrol because he believes that the border patrol is just doing their job. The border patrol’s main focus is to save the people who are suffering trying to cross the desert. I believe the desert holds a lot more responsibility than the Mendez and the border patrol. Urrea goes into detail about hyperthermia. Hyperthermia has six stages—heat stress, heat fatigue, heat syncope, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These stages most likely lead to the death of immigrants trying to cross the boder. Urrea also proves that even people who go there to relax end up dying. Urrea’s focus on the desert showed how frightening and deadly it can be. He has provided facts and stories about the desert. He describes the disturbing details of the men’s bodies after it’s been in the sun for so long. He tells us the cruel games the border patrol play and yet he tells us about how they want to save the lives, too. He even says that the border patrol is afraid to travel through the desert. He provides stories of other people who have crossed the cruel dessert and he tells about the lives of the people involved in this incident. I believe that it is the desert that holds responsibility for the lives of Yuma 14.