AlambristaAlambrista

Themes, Homo Faber and Themes, Homo Faber and The Human ExperienceThe Human Experience

AlambristaAlambrista and Explored Themesand Explored Themes

Long-distance walking, exile, laborLong-distance walking, exile, labor

Loneliness, temporary friendshipsLoneliness, temporary friendships

Illegality, pesticides, labor strugglesIllegality, pesticides, labor struggles

Sexuality, scabs and coyotesSexuality, scabs and coyotes

Death in strange lands, cyclical deathDeath in strange lands, cyclical death

Roberto as Roberto as Homo FaberHomo Faber

Humans as makers of things, places and Humans as makers of things, places and meanings.meanings.

Humans have made fire, tools, weapons, Humans have made fire, tools, weapons, toys, hunted, planted and harvested, toys, hunted, planted and harvested, meals and wealth, music, art, language, meals and wealth, music, art, language, laws, families, dynasties, etc.laws, families, dynasties, etc.

Roberto as maker of family, food, Roberto as maker of family, food, cultivator of food, journey, wealth, love and cultivator of food, journey, wealth, love and sexuality.sexuality.

Food and food preparationFood and food preparation

Food as metaphor for sustenance, mental Food as metaphor for sustenance, mental and spiritual.and spiritual.

Requires labor for planting, harvesting, Requires labor for planting, harvesting, and preparation.and preparation.

Roberto and farm workers live a hyper-Roberto and farm workers live a hyper-food existence.food existence.

The ironic condition of food harvesting and The ironic condition of food harvesting and constant poverty and food deprivation.constant poverty and food deprivation.

Separation and disorientationSeparation and disorientation

Roberto leaves family, symbolic crossing Roberto leaves family, symbolic crossing of the wire, loss and danger to occur. of the wire, loss and danger to occur.

The beginning of his disorientation and The beginning of his disorientation and possible religious martyrdompossible religious martyrdom

Walking as essential and survivalWalking as essential and survival

Migrant farm workers travel long distances Migrant farm workers travel long distances over unfamiliar terrain.over unfamiliar terrain.

Come from diverse areas, but unified in Come from diverse areas, but unified in purpose and need.purpose and need.

Travel into spaces of unfamiliarityTravel into spaces of unfamiliarity Travel into dark spaces of danger, Travel into dark spaces of danger,

uncertainty, risk and exploitationuncertainty, risk and exploitation

Bent OverBent Over

The physical condition of the farm workerThe physical condition of the farm worker They labor in lush, green and healthy They labor in lush, green and healthy

settings.settings. Ironic spaces, places of abundance, Ironic spaces, places of abundance,

places that perpetuate poverty.places that perpetuate poverty.

Leccion numero unoLeccion numero uno

Joe the survivor, the facilitator, the seasoned Joe the survivor, the facilitator, the seasoned one—the comedic one, the trickster (the tragic one—the comedic one, the trickster (the tragic one)one)

Teaches Roberto how to behave, smile, hold his Teaches Roberto how to behave, smile, hold his head high, walk with confidence and flirt with the head high, walk with confidence and flirt with the waitress in a restaurant.waitress in a restaurant.

Tells Roberto to cross his legs, “Because Tells Roberto to cross his legs, “Because Gringos always cross their legs.”Gringos always cross their legs.”

Shows Roberto how to order, “Ham, eggs and Shows Roberto how to order, “Ham, eggs and coffee.”coffee.”

Trickster to LowriderTrickster to Lowrider

Joe as trickster, possible tragic mythic Joe as trickster, possible tragic mythic figurefigure

Joe as rebellion, non-conforming, Joe as rebellion, non-conforming, challenging authority and its traditions.challenging authority and its traditions.

Commonly meet tragic ends—Joe and Commonly meet tragic ends—Joe and Roberto on the train ride.Roberto on the train ride.

Rent-a-slave to a Taste of FlowerRent-a-slave to a Taste of Flower

Confrontation with other workers—near Confrontation with other workers—near riot and chaosriot and chaos

Encountering Sharon-the flower-sexual Encountering Sharon-the flower-sexual encountersencounters

The “holy rollers”.The “holy rollers”.

Dissembling AlambristaDissembling Alambrista

Scene in café with policeman and loud-Scene in café with policeman and loud-mouthmouth

Reveals Roberto’s dilemma, predicamentReveals Roberto’s dilemma, predicament Reveals his vulnerability, his deciphering Reveals his vulnerability, his deciphering

and negotiating.and negotiating. Sharon adds to his predicament Sharon adds to his predicament

unknowinglyunknowingly

13 unlucky steps13 unlucky steps

New job as pesticide flagmanNew job as pesticide flagman New clothes, new outlook, optimismNew clothes, new outlook, optimism New danger of pesticidesNew danger of pesticides Captured and deportedCaptured and deported

Peripatetic MexicansPeripatetic Mexicans

Peripatetic: to walk up and down, to treadPeripatetic: to walk up and down, to tread Roberto as the dark peripateticRoberto as the dark peripatetic Roberto’s in his ominous excursion, often Roberto’s in his ominous excursion, often

on foot—the peon.on foot—the peon. Smuggled by another Smuggled by another coyote, coyote, and a 36 and a 36

hour ride.hour ride.

Like father, unlike sonLike father, unlike son

Finds his dead fatherFinds his dead father

Finds his life space, his new lifeFinds his life space, his new life

Knows him through deathKnows him through death

Woman giving birth at the borderWoman giving birth at the border