Enriques Journey as a Documented Story - Essay Example

Enrique’s Journey Introduction Enrique's Journey is a documented story of resilience, determination and indomitable spirit of hope, depicted by a teenage boy in search of his mother in a country faraway. Despite the danger and the series of threats posed by the journey, the teenage boy has made up his mind to overcome all odds, just to ensure that he reunites with his mother after eleven years of being apart (Nazario, 1). While there are different dimensions from which the story can be perceived, which would likely paint a negative picture on the personality of Enrique; the 17 year old teenage boy, a positive outlook is however inevitable. Enrique’s mother would have preferred that his son remains a bit more patient and wait for her coming back home, rather than endanger his life by taking on search a risky journey, marred by a mixture of cruelty, kindness, hostility and good luck; the principle elements that separates the lucky from the unlucky. Therefore, the story is written, simply to paint a positive side on the illegal immigration saga, often painted in bad light and insensitivity, through documenting the resilience, courage and determination that it takes to brace the journey. This way, it opens an avenue for further scrutiny into the issue of illegal immigration, paving way for further societal engagement and alternative policy formulation. Analysis Reading this story, one thing remains clear; the immigration of children and mothers from the nearby countries into the United States, though illegal, no doubt remains acceptable, logical and justifiable, when perceived from the eye of humanity, compassion and reason. Poverty, abuse and domestic violence remain the common denominator for most of the illegal immigrants that flocks the USA every year ((Nazario, 112). This is especially true for children who must always device means of reuniting with their parents, after a long period of separation, which eventually tears down all the walls of patience. No wonder therefore, that 75% of the unaccompanied children in a detention center in Texas holding children caught by the INS illegally migrating into the USA, are seeking for their mothers (Nazario, 1). Different individuals may have different reasons for illegally immigrating into another country. However, it is only the ones with logical, justified and courageous hearts, who will withstand all the challenges posed by the immigration journey. Trekking the 1600 miles from Honduras to the USA, especially for an illegal immigrant is a journey that many would find not worth taking. There is virtually no comfort in such a journey, which greatly involves clinging on sides and tops of freight trains, unless one is the greeted with the kindness of strangers, who are on route to the country for different reasons, other than running away from the unbearable circumstances in their motherland. The journey is pretty hard for those immigrating from Mexico, but even harder for those emigrating from other regions like Enrique (Nazario, 2). It is therefore apparent that those seeking the fun of trekking will not withstand the harsh and hostile conditions characterized by the journey, and thus would opt not to make such attempts. Most of the illegal immigrants, and especially those who are children, brace the journey, since it is the only option they have left. Therefore, the author of the story seeks to document all the challenges involved in the immigration journey, through the exemplification of Enrique, who represents a thousand other children, apparently to tell the world that there is more than just the illegality of the migration. Thus, the story raises various critical questions. Is the emigration of children from Central America and Mexico into the USA justifiable? Can the society do something to avert the suffering endured by children left by their parents in sear’s border be reconciled with the need to avert the horrendous experiences borne by immigrant children in search of their parents? The eminent risks of death, cruelty and brutality faced by the immigrant children are not worth. They have to go for days without food, drink dirty water, jump on-and-off the trains to evade the horrific assault of the police (Nazario, 2). It is therefore conceivable that; for every group of emigrants that finally enters the USA, several must have perished along the way. Through demonstrating the nature of the emigration journey from Central America into the USA, the story opens a new focus on the sufferings that are not warranted, just for the sake of reinforcing the law and guarding the borders. The presentation of hungry and helpless children in the cold, who are ready to face the risks of being beaten, robbed and raped on a journey to search for their mothers, paints a different picture of the emigration story, which arouses the need for further humanitarian engagements to avert such sufferings, which are mooted on innocent children who have been left with no other option, other than to take the fight of a lifetime in search of their family (Nazario, 47). The perception of this story from that direction opens further channels for constructive engagements, aimed at seeking for other ways of assisting such illegal immigrants, even as upholding border integrity and security remains a priority. Thus, the story is an effective wakeup call for the world to further engage in the issue of illegal immigration, through devising for ways to avert human suffering, which remains the root cause of the emigration of thousands of children, every year. Conclusion The story, Enrique's Journey, is a well narrated experience of a boy’s fight for what he rightfully deserves; mother’s love and care. However, it is a wakeup call to the society, that for many children, what is rightfully deserved is not always given, and thus it has to be fought for, even with the last breath. The story puts the issue of illegal immigration into a sharp focus, with the aim of demonstrating the factors that triggers its rise. This in turn calls upon the society to rethink and re-strategize on how it can reconcile the ultimate goal of securing territorial integrity and maintaining border security, with the need to avert the suffering of the emigrants, who must leave their motherland, if they have to survive. Works Cited Nazario, Sonia. Enrique's Journey. New York: Random House Publishing Group, 2007. Print. Read More