The Guardians

A little over a week ago I finished The Guardians by Ana Castillo. I've been meaning to write about it but just haven't been able to get around to it. I find myself usually saying how much I enjoyed a book, and the truth is, I enjoy most books I read. I guess that's why I read as much as I do. So, if that foreshadowing wasn't enough, I really enjoyed the book.

The writing style was different than many books I have read. It was told from the first person narrative, but with four different "first persons." So it gave lots of little moments where the tension between one's own perception of self is balanced and contrasted with a third person's perception. I enjoy this because it is a pet thought project of mine to think about how my perception of myself differs than those around me. I think its always important to try and bridge the gap between the two, i.e. work to make the perception and vision I have of myself correspond with the perception and vision others have (or more accurately stated, the perception and vision I perceive others having of me). Its always a difficult struggle, in part because I am always aware of what I am thinking and feeling, and that includes many instances of things that are not the best, meaning there seems to be an inherent disconnect between the information I have to form my perception of me and the information others have to form their perception of me. But this all leads to a very large digression down a very long rabbit hole, so I think I will just leave it at that.

Another aspect of the book that was thought provoking for me was the struggle of immigration. Obviously immigration is a hot topic in today's political and social climate, particularly in Elkhart County which has a significant immigrant population. But the book, even though fiction (the author did refer to it as autobiographical in some respects for her family history), is a great reminder that the political and social discussion, I guess in my opinion, focuses too intensely on the legal issues and what laws should or should not be done, and forgets that at the heart of the issue are people. People, for a diverse set of reasons, face incredible struggle and conflict and pain to make an immigrant journey. The leaving of one's family, homeland, and that those "ideas" entail, to make a better world and life for one's self and family, is gripping. But I find it even more gripping to see that they are leaving behind complacency, leaving behind a known world, for a world that is not only unknown, but generally un-accepting and generally hostile. Regardless of all the politics people want to discuss, it seems important to at least recognize the courage that takes place in these decisions and actions.

Its also important, as the book doesn't gloss anything, to remember the danger, abuse, and evil that takes place during the immigration process. To understand the number of sons, daughters, wives, mothers, fathers, and husbands who are lost forever, as a result of some one's greed or apathy, of some one's cruelty or vengeance, is to understand the depths of evil humanity can reach sometimes. And I think a true understanding leaves it impossible to come away, if with nothing else, disturbed. Despaired. Saddened.

Yet, as down as the reflection on the book could get, I still think it can call towards opportunities to change the status quo. To remember that regardless of laws and politicians and status and walls, we shouldn't be fighting against persons who love, who are about family and society, who wish to improve. We should be joining to resist and fight against the depravity of human nature that causes so much suffering in our world. I think we waste our energies when we spend it fighting against persons due to labels and policies, rather than seeking out the injustices, cruelty, and apathy in our communities and working to rid our homes of such negatives.

As depressing as the book was in some respects, the thing I will take away from it and remember is how coming together, being inclusive rather than exclusive, focusing on similarities rather than divisions, can fight and conquer so much more evil and injustice in our communities than grandstanding with righteousness and technicalities.