Comparing The Border In Sunshine And Noir II

The border between the United States of America and Mexico always had been always a theme for a lot of discussions. And, in the book “Sunshine/Noir II” two authors described, through texts, their point of view about the topic. Both Juanita Lopez and Michael Cheno Wickert agree that nowadays the control of the border has become way more restrict and militarized. In that sense, Michael Wickert presents his idea in a poem form, text named “The border Is a Fight”, that describes the dramas of a Mexican family that has to cross the border every day in a hope to get a better future. Whereas, Juanita Lopez demonstrates it through an essay that uses personal narratives of the author’s relatives to illustrate her point of view. Therefore, the both

authors exploit their point of views using different methods and figurative images for delivering their ideas in the way they do.
M.Wickert poem form approach gets more “close to the reader” then J.Lopez essay form. “The border Is a fight” transmits the ideas in a poem that almost sound like a music. The verses of the poem mix Spanish and English and because they are composed of really simple phrases gives the idea that came from someone that has to cross the border every day to try reaching a better life, so it reaches the “sensible” part of the reader. Also, the way Wickert repeats some of the words and conduct the poem is very interesting. On the other hand, J.Lopez use an essay form, which can make the text longer, and contain more details than the poem one. Besides that, Lopez makes use of personal narratives of her grandmother, who make descriptions about the “old times”, like around the 1950s to compare how the border was in the past, and how it is now in the present.
The both authors agree on the border as a thing that has changed a lot over the past years, for a more “hard conduct”, so making the people farther from being able to reach their roots.

Based on both author’s text it is incredible how America really want to make the border, a thing remembered and view as a “tough” one. As Juanita Lopez says: “The border that was once more open has become so militarized, and has made it harder for people to reunite with their roots, their people, my people.” So, she shows that with all the technological, and digital evolution that has been occurring in the last decade, the U.S government has been able to apply a way more serious, and rigorous system of controlling the border, so making really hard for people who can’t get the right documents to reconnect with their families that lie behind the border. Also, she cites one of her grandmothers speak: “She remembers the border with fewer doors and officers, shorter lines – all you had to say was that you were a U.S citizen and, well, she was.” With that becomes really clear the enormous differences that exist between the border in the past, and nowadays. Today, one would have to show all his documents, and explain the reasons for the travel. In the same way, Michael Cheno Wickert makes his claims about what would be his visualization of the border in his poem, which he starts saying: “ The border is a fight, una lucha constante” So, making clear his point of view that the border has become the

symbol of a constant fight that never stops. Later on, the author makes another point: “ The border is a pointing of fingers, a sideways scowl, a series of questions, a reason for waving flag” And with that, the author simply means that since America's conquested what once was the Mexican lands the border kind of become a reason for being proud which is one of the most erroneous concepts that is “attacked” by the M.Wickert poem.
Furthermore, both authors used really specific stylistic choices to enhance their texts and to illustrate their visions.

To begin with, it is possible to see how J.Lopez uses the personal narrative of her grandmother, for reach the emotional sense of the reader. She cites the grandmother speaking, and then reacts like was the first time that she (the author) was listening to the history as well. For example, Juanita Lopez says in her text: “The horribles things that they had to do to come across (the border) were shocking to me as soon as my grandmother began to describe them.” They had to go through a lot of hard situations to came to the United States of America trying to get news opportunities. At the same time, Michael Wickert makes a really good use of a metaphor to deliver his point of view. In his poem, the author says: “ and Esperanza, a daughter in the back seat on her way to school huddled in books and dreams nibbling on burritos de chorizo con papas sipping chocolate, her head resting on the window” Which demonstrates the classic example of a Mexican person that has to cross the border everyday in a hope to get a better future. And also, relates to the idea of “Sunshine and Noir” because is showing the real reality, the noir, that sometimes a lot of people who thinks that San Diego is only “the Sunshine” try to hide it. Moreover, in his poem, Wickert uses a really interesting mix of Spanish and English that makes the “Spanish feeling” of the border be alive

inside the lines of the text, and signals out one more contrast between U.S and Mexico.
All in all, both author’s essay shows in different ways, how the border has changed over the years, for a more “tough”, and restrict command. M.Wickert does it through a poem, mixing Spanish and English, showing how “The border is a pointing of fingers”, and J.Lopez demonstrate her ideas through an essay, making use of personal narratives, that explicit how “The border that was once more open has become so militarized, and has made it harder for people to reunite with their roots”. So I think that , after all, it is possible to all people realize how erroneous is the way U.S treat the Mexican border because it is going to be impossible to erase the history, erase the fact that all state of California was once Mexico, and that all the families and people who lived where now is the U.S had, and maybe still have a relation to the place.