Watching Under the Same Moon I must admit was a good movie even though I do disagree with some of the movies main concepts first and foremost, but over it was a moving movie and now that I am becoming a mother myself I must ask myself some of the same questions Rosario did.
Some of the main concepts that I picked up on for the mother leaving Carlos back in Mexico was she was leaving him with family that loved him and would take care of him, Rosario (the mother) was going on a dangerous mission to get across the border and when she did get across the border she would have no family to help with Carlos. I also think she left Carlos behind thinking it wasn't going to take so long for her to find a way to get Carlos across the border,come to find out when she got into the US she hired a lawyer that stole $4,000.00 from here making her having to start all over.
Rosario made the difficult decision to leave Carlos for the US because Mexico is a terrible place, the US provides so many more opportunities even though the work is hard and pay is bad, but not as bad as in Mexico. As for the fact if the decision was hard to leave her son behind... YES... that's a decision that would break so many mothers hearts, you know Rosario is miserable in the US because she is always thinking about her son back in Mexico. Some instances that show that is when Rosario will not date anyone because she wants her son to be here, she feels she has to make her life miserable because she couldn't get Carlos across.
When Carlos was living away from his mother he had to deal with family members picking on him, as well as a very sick grandmother who eventually passed away leading to Carlos making the desicion to leave for the US. When Rosario was living apart from Carlos she was depressed all the time, she missed her son so much that she wouldn't enjoy what was going on around her.
Would a mother in the United Stated made that same decision that Rosario made, I think no, because in America the thought is not matter how tough and hard life is we are a unit and nothing will ever break us apart. Here is America we have child protective services which put the fear of God in most mothers because one simple phone call can cause so much trouble and despair, that most mothers will do everything to protect their children and for the family to stay together as a single unit.
I agree with you how an American mother would probably not do the same. I think Americans view the mother to be the primary caregiver of her child. I do believe it was hard for Roasaria to be away from her child, but I don't think an American mother would accept being away from her child for four years. I don't think it is accepted as much in American culture. In the Hispanic culture, with the Catholic background, I think it is more accepted for extended family members to help raise the children. I believe that is why Rosaria left her son with his grandmother. I also think that the film makes you think about how hard other countries have it. For example, the way Rosaria works so hard at two jobs just to try to have some of the opportunities we take for granted here in America. I also think it makes a person look at the perspective from an illegal immigrants point of view. While I don't agree with illegal immigration, it makes the viewer stand back and realize how difficult life is for the people who want to live here in America.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree!!!
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