What really is the border?

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 Juanita Lopez and Michael
Cheno described, through texts, their point of view about the topic. Both authors represent that
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
authors relatives to illustrate her point of view. Therefore, the both authors exploit their point of
views using different text forms, and figurative images, like metaphors and personification, 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 authors 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
cant 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
representation of the border in his poem which 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. Alternatively, Michael Wickert makes use of 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 authors essay show 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.