Chasing The American Dream

How does one go about succeeding in life when you're born into a life situation that includes struggle, poverty, no freedom?  What does one do when they hit the point in their life where they question the meaning of life and what it stands for?  For the family in El Norte, it is clear to them that they are sick and tired of being the rich people "working arms", and that as humans, they deserve a much more rewarding life.

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El Norte is a 1983 drama thriller of a Mayan Indian family in Mexico that had their town torn apart from the Guatemalan Army after a massacre invasion.  After being the only survivors of their family, brother and sister, Rosa and Enrique embark on a journey to El Norte (America) for a new found life. They were in search of not only a new life, but a place where they can call home.  A place that was safe and where they could have freedom.  

Upon arriving to Los Angeles, they meet a few humble people that help them with jobs, learning basic english, and acquiring somewhere to live.  As Enrique tackles down a job as a waiter, Rosa begins to clean houses with her friend/mentor Nacha.  They steadily make their way, buy things for themselves, and learn a lot more English.  When Rosa suddenly becomes ill at work, Nacha takes her to the hospital.  Meanwhile, Enrique had just made the decision to leave Rosa behind for a job offer in Chicago.  When Nacha knocked some sense into Enrique about being by Rosa's side, he decides to go be with her.  In the end, Enrique tells Rosa that everything would be okay, and that they would soon be making more money and not have to worry about fitting in America.  Like many dramatic movies, Rosa dies while in the hospital, and Enrique is left heartbroken for he just lost his only family member left.  

I will admit, I did shed some tears on this one.  I cannot tell if it was because I was tired and hormonal, or because the ending came out of nowhere!  What I do know is that this movie really tied me in with it's plot.  Both my parents came to the United States as young illegal immigrants wanting nothing more than a better life than what they had back in Mexico.  On my mom's side, my grandma was a 22 year old with two daughters, making her way through the border and El Rio for a new life here in the states. And watching the struggles that the characters have in the movie, I can really see how immigrants come here with nothing, working to try and make something. 

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 The whole movie puts in perspective the American Dream that so many immigrants are after.  One part in the movie, Enrique was saying that if he dressed better more people would respect him.  Also, Rosa was cleaning houses and didn't know how to use the washing machine so she washed everything by hand.  When her boss asked why she did that she replied that she really didn't know how to operate a machine and that she felt silly not knowing.  

It was the ending, where Rosa had her last conversation with Enrique that ties the whole question about chasing the American Dream.  She states that they don't belong in America and that this country is too hard to live in.  She goes on to say that they are not really free in this country because they are constantly working their asses off, and for what?  Only to get really ill from working all day every day?  El Norte really surprised me by accurately portraying how one race trying to make a living in a place where they're the minority.  

http://business.time.com/2013/09/26/is-the-american-dream-withering-or-just-changing/
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/feb/21/nation/la-na-texas-young-migrants-20140222