Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez by Jimmy

¶ … Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez by Jimmy Breslin

This is a paper on the book 'The Short Sweet Dream of Eduardo' by Jimmy Breslin. It has 3 sources in MLA format.

The book 'The Short Sweet Dream of Eduardo Gutierrez is the story of an illegal Mexican immigrant who crosses over to the American side of the Mexican-American frontier, one of the divisions of which is the large desert of Arizona. This illegal immigrant, the protagonist of the book, Eduardo Gutierrez, comes to Brooklyn neighborhood of New York in search of good prospects for himself and his poor family back in Mexico and finds work at a construction site, under an unscrupulous builder. The book details the life of this illegal immigrant right from his birth in a small town in Mexico; up to the moment, he finds a job at a construction site. The author Jimmy Breslin not only covers the immigrant's life, he makes use of the tragic events and the final moments of this young immigrant's death at the same construction site, where he aspired to achieve something in life. Little did he know about the cruel and corrupted net of ruthless business tycoons, which he had become a part and because of who he perished? It is this indifference attitude of these corrupted people, motivated by none other than bad politics, and the life and death of an aspiring immigrant worker, which has been excellently compiled into a book by Jimmy Breslin.

On going through the book, it is observed that Breslin has done an excellent piece of investigative work, researching into the causes of his character's reasons of arrival and more importantly, his tragic death at the construction site. The author's contention that people like Eduardo have freedom to control their destiny is not correct. On the contrary, it is apparent that people like Eduardo and thousands of others like him are forced into the lucrative American market, purely for economic reasons. Even though they are well aware of the consequences, for example working in a dangerous surrounding, and/or where safety concerns are of little importance to the contractors. Certainly bad working conditions, and low wages are all contemptible reasons, for which the contractors should be accounted for, but it should not be construed to discourage aspiring workers from availing opportunities, that are otherwise totally absent in their own country of origin.

On the aspect of the America's view on the immigrant problem, Breslin gives the true picture that of officially preventing illegal immigrants from crossing into the lucrative American market. He also categorically mentions the need and requirement of the American industry for virtually all categories of cheap labor, for which the American taxpayer has to pay up to five times to an American for the same jobs. The author thus presents the dual role practiced by the Americans, one that shuns and discourages illegal immigration, and the more lucrative corporate role which openly admits and accepts these people to come to America and are a source of much needed labor force. Furthermore, Breslin while highlighting the country's dual role for these immigrants emphasizes on the importance of foreign labor, which has over the ages been responsible for the building and construction of America. The only change that has occured, in Breslin's portrayal is the mode and origin of these aspiring people. First it was the Irish, and the British, as well as other Europeans who crossed the Atlantic for better economic prospects, and in turn making America what it is today, and now in the current era, the people have to cross riverbanks, and deserts that divide the United States of America and the South American continent.