Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider what you know about the term “the American Dream.” What does it mean? In which ways does it influence how people view the United States (US)?

Teaching Suggestion: While Jaramillo’s text does not explicitly state the phrase “the American dream,” readers may see an implication that life north of the border (la línea) is a more desirable place than south of the border. The phrase “the American dream” has a wide variety of interpretations; however, it is usually associated with the idea that any person, regardless of their background, can come to the US and work their way up from the bottom and reach success. Ultimately, the belief that the US provided equal opportunities for hard work led many communities around the world to leave their homelands and come to the US. Historically, immigrants from different parts of the world have come to the US for various reasons, but the brunt of contemporary migration policy contends with individuals with Latin American backgrounds who hope to enter the US from the southern border with Mexico.