Mexican Lives by Judith Adler Hellman Essay -- Mexican Lives Judith Ad

Mexican Lives by Judith Adler HellmanThe author of Mexican Lives, Judith Adler Hellman, grapples with the coupled States economic relationship with their neighbors to the south, Mexico. It likewise considers, through many inter witnesss, the affairs of atomic number 53 nation. It is a work held to high esteem by many critics, who view this work as an essential part in truly catch and capturing Mexicos history. In Mexican Lives, Hellman presents us with a cast from solely walks of life. This enables a lecturer to get more than one perspective, which tends to be bias. It also gives a more inclusive view of the nation of Mexico as a whole. Dealing with rebel activity, free trade, assassinations and their transition into the modern age, it justly captures a Mexico in its true light.All walks of life are presented, from prevailing business community of white-collar status, to those of the working class and labor industry, as well as individuals who deal in the black market of smug gling illegal immigrants crossways the border into the U.S. Hellmans work explores the subject of Mexicos economic perspective in the 1990s. NAFTA (North American Free Trade symmetry) closely tied the unite States and Mexico during this period, as well as similar policies such as GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) that were also created. These issues pertaining to economic policies between the two nations, Mexico and the fall in States are seen highlighted throughout her work. Hellman opens with three individuals at three different times. The reader is branch introduced to Lupe Gonzalez at 3 A.M., whose story is a harsh reality for many. She lives in the vecindad of San Miguel Iztacalco where eighteen families in eighteen single-room dwellings trade a single piss tap in the courtyard (pg.15) This is the daily life for many some other Mexican families, as well as families from all over Latin America. She lives in a single room home with six children and her secon dly husband. The reason for the set time is due to a schedule that separately family must abide by, in order to obtain a unanalyzable necessity of life, water for their drinking, bathing, cooking, and household cleaning. (pg.15) With this the reader witnesses how there isnt even enough water for all members of the community and city for constant usage. They share three beds for all eight family members and make considerably less then(prenominal) minimum... ...ople extort from others. Its a way of life The NAFTA treaty isnt meant to rescue people like us, its meant to help the rich (pg. 157) Later, the reader learns that Maria was driven out of business by competators after NAFTA took effect.Mexican Lives is a rare piece of literature that accounts for the human struggle of an underdevelop nation, which is kept impoverished in order to create wealth for that of some other nation, the United States. The reader is shown that the act of globalization and inclusion in the instaura tions economies, more directly the United States, is not always safe to all parties involved. The data and interviews, which Hellman has put forth for her readers, contain some formula of negativity that has impacted their lives by their nations choice to interlock their economy with that of the United States. Therefore it can only be think that the entering into world markets, that of Mexico into the United States, does not always bring on positive outcomes. Thus, one sees that Mexico has become this wasteland of economic excrement as a result it has become inherently reliant on the United States.Work CitedJudith A. Hellman Mexican Lives.