How did Martínez’s position as a participant-observer shape the ways that he reported the stories of migrants who traveled across Mexico toward the border?
Martinez uses a different position as a participant-observer. Which allowed him to dive deep into the stories of the migrants that were crossing the border. He puts himself into the shoes of the migrants journeys. He was able to detail the fears, struggles, and the hopes of the migrants. Martinez was able to show the empathy and the understanding of the migrants. He could humanize the experiences of the migrants and what they had to go through. He’s able to connect his readers the the stories. The role as the participant-observer shaped the ways that were reported of dangers and challenges that the migrants had to face. Martinez was able to witness the violence and exploitations that the migrants faced. Since Martinez had the knowledge it gives the readers a picture in their mind about the risks the migrants took to have a better life.
What does he see his purpose to be in writing these stories?
Martinez showed the harsh reality of the migrants. He was able to capture the reality of traveling from Mexico to the United States. In his book he talks about the train that the migrants rode. They did not ride in the cars they had to ride on top of them. Martinez is the brings a voice to life for the migrants. While reading Martines exposes the violence that the migrants faced on their journey. The purpose of his writing is not just to tell stories about the history of the migrants but it goes much deeper then that. The way he advocates for the migrants lets the reader feel as if you were experiencing it. Martinez is trying to see the change with these important issues with the migrants.
What dimension do they add to our studies of the US-Mexico borderlands?
After reading the Beast it tries to give the readers a personal connection to the migrant and all they they had to go through to try and have a better life for themselves and their families. Through all of the studies that we have read all have the same concepts however The Beast brings a better insight to what went on during these times. Not from the US side but from the side of the migrants. The beast is very detailed and gives us the experience that they had gone through. I feel like I had the strongest personal connection to the Beast then the other readings.
