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”Our only concerned is that they might die suddenly, without having being baptized. It would be really bad because children have original sin. If they die with original sin, they go directly to purgatory. Purgatory is not a place where one’s suffers much, but it’s still a site of punishment; there are always flames even though they don’t burn much. That’s what the priest told us when they came on their missions. As soon as we see children with a little diarrhea, we rush to have a little holy water sprinkled on them. And look for their Godfather.” (Pg. 13-14)

We chose this passage of the reading because it shows the living conditions and how religion influences their life. The living conditions show how children tend to die very often, showing how illness can affect their well-being as families do not have the access to the resources needed to support their welfare. Religion played a key role in controlling what they do as they followed the word of the priest very closely and hardly strayed from their teachings. - Nathaniel Jaco.

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"And that's why the landowners have gotten on them.

Nowadays they can't stand the sight of them-you see,

the priests have betrayed those who have always treated

them well." (35).

We chose this part of the reading because it reflects how the landowners have been benefiting from the peasants' hard work and sacrifices while giving nothing in return. Now that the priests have started helping the peasants and making them aware of how they're being exploited, the landowners resent them and even use the guards to target them.

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"They hate us because we have opened our eyes says Adolfina" (pg 44). I choose this quote because the people that were poor just wanted the price for fertilizer to go down by protesting peacefully. The police on the other hand, stopped their protesting by killing them while they were vulnerable on the ground. Then they burned the bus with the people inside and threw chemicals inside to kill them. After all that chaos, only two girls survived and became friends and they didn't even know they were present in the same town. This quote is significant because people realize the situation and wanted to do something about it, causing people to die and leaving only two girls alive.

"One must save ourselves for ourselves" (pg 57). The quote highlights the theme of survival and personal resilience. It reflects how people struggle with violence, oppression and fear but continue moving forward even in their hardest times. The hard times in the book make it so that the men have to sleep in the mountains, there is not enough money for health and children get sick and die and people suffer abuse and violence from the authorities which leads to killings. Lupe and Jose see all this and want to help themselves by being involved in the farmworkers association which helps them learn more about their problems.

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"They stuck them in a tub of water and chili peppers. Imagine how their wounds must have burned, they screamed; then they showed shoved a toothbrush with pepper back there, in their buttocks, and then into their mouths for them to brush their teeth with...".(Pg. 70)

I chose this passage because it highlights the themes of dehumanization, violence and oppression. The detailed explanations of the pain they went through and the extreme brutality to control and break these people. The burning wounds, the screams and the humiliating act with the toothbrush shows not only the physical suffering but also the mental suffering they went through. This passage also explain show torture was used to strip people of their dignity and put fear into people.  These harsh details show the terrible effects of violence on both individuals and society.

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Group 5: Joaquin Moraga, Bryan Perez, Alina Ramonette, Marco Rodriguez

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Group 5: Joaquin Moraga, Bryan Perez, Alina Ramonette, Marco Rodriguez

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“Later one gets tired, it's true. Goodbye laughter, children arrive. It's time for the coffee harvest and one must round up the children and take off with hardly a mat or blankets.

Not even clothes because one always wears the same clothes, for laughing and crying. And that's where that song comes from, "So You're Wearing the Same Clothes." Well, what are you going to do if you live in poverty? Only complain and complain? As long as things are unclear, that's how it is.

Well, all right, the way the authorities can fuck one over; we know where that's coming from.

And we know why they harass us, why they get angry.

Well, once I asked Chepe what being aware meant, and it's that, more or less. To know why. And maybe that's why I laugh so much, because they'd like you to be all fucked over, without knowing what to do about it. It's true, I'm worried about the child, and I would give my life for her.” (Page 88)

The reason our group had picked this passage was because of the awareness of Lupe. It goes on to show her being fully aware of how she most likely will never get out of this struggle she is having, just forced to act unaware of the full situation, and just keep going. Moreover, this section also reveals the situations of many other families in El Salvador, demonstrating a need for change which we would see in later parts of the story.

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"A cloud is wrestling with the sun. Like dogs and cats, the clouds and the rays of the sun. The cloud of dust is a haze; it won't let you see beyond". - Page 123

I chose this quote because I thought it was pretty amazing how it describes the clouds. We all have heard the term that it's raining like dogs and cats. Where I live, it usually doesn't rain that often. However, I remember my father always telling me about the stories where it would rain dramatically at his childhood ranch in Mexico. In 2015, I remember going to my father's childhood ranch during the summer vacation and he wasn't lying. This quote reminds me about that experience I had where the lights went out while the rain was pouring hard in Mexico. - Jesus Martinez

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"The worst offense is not to be afraid of them, to maintain composure even when they're beating you with their rifle...."

Explanation:

This group demonstrates the central theme of resilience in the face of oppression throughout the chapter. The novel highlights the brutality experienced by the poor and the courage they display despite constant violence. This line illustrates how the ruling forces rely on fear to control people, and how maintaining composure in the face of violence is an act of resistance. The protagonist’s endurance reflects the Salvadoran people's strength during political repression.

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"My granddaughter is not going anywhere," I shouted until even Pijiriche began barking at me. Adolfina hugging me, still without putting down the pack of hot tortillas. "Don't be like this," Grandmother; she was on the verge of tears. "Don't be like this." Crying. Justino would condemn me if I were to let her go with those men. And thinking of him, I gathered more strength. They will have to kill me first; they will have to kill all of us." (pg. 167)

The reason I chose this section is that it shows the theme of this book, which is resistance. A group of men wants to take away an old lady's granddaughter. But she refused to give in to them, going as far as saying that they could only take her over her dead body. Which was a very powerful statement.

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Group 9 189- the end of the book Leslie Rosas 

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Group 9 189- the end of the book Leslie Rosas 

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“Well, of course, one would like to live better, to be better off and not have problems, but that is not fair. If we don’t put a little salt in our food, it will be tasteless. So it’s best not to kill yourself trying to live”. (p.206-207)

I chose this passage from the reading because it focuses on how Lupe and Jose provided for their family throughout the book. They both worked hard and made ends meet. Even though they faced struggles or obstacles. They hoped for a better life. It stood out to me because it’s true I would like to be better off and live better. I have to work hard to accomplish my goals yet I shouldn't work myself out.