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American Dirt


"American Dirt is a Grapes of Wrath for our times."
—Don Winslow
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Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Created: 02/06/20

Replies: 6

Posted Feb. 06, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Toward the end of the novel, Soledad "sticks her hand through the fence and wiggles her fingers on the other side. Her fingers are in el norte. She spits through the fence (chapter 28, page 301). Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?


Posted Feb. 09, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melanieb

Join Date: 08/30/14

Posts: 265

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

I think her action is about showing she beat the death sentence that would have been on her life had she stayed. Her spitting showed her disdain for the murderers she fled.


Posted Feb. 09, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pate

Join Date: 03/15/13

Posts: 36

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Spitting can be a sign of anger, hatred and contempt, and is considered to be an offensive action, so perhaps this was Soledad's way of showing her feelings about the situation/people she fled.I also think that may have been her way of saying she is not afraid. Many times when people are afraid, their mouth can feel very dry and it can be hard to produce saliva.Maybe for Soledad this was a validation of her refusal to feel fear.


Posted Feb. 10, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
katherinep

Join Date: 07/16/14

Posts: 374

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Sure, it is a victory--no matter what was done to her, she won and spits on them all--any feeling she had for the old place is gone


Posted Feb. 10, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Andrea

Join Date: 08/31/18

Posts: 32

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

I believe that Soledad spits through the border fence in Nogales because she wants to claim a victory despite the real chance that she will not surmount the final obstacle. As it says in the ARC, “She spits through the fence. Only to leave a piece of herself there on American dirt.”


Posted Feb. 11, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cathyoc

Join Date: 04/26/17

Posts: 247

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Even while at the border town there was no guarantee that Soledad was going to reach the United States. I do believe that she wanted a part of her to have touched the soil she has fought so hard to get to.


Posted Feb. 17, 2020 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: Why do you think Soledad spits over the border? Is doing so a victory for her?

Spitting onto the U.S.side of the border placed a part of Soledad there. She had done it, and no matter what happened in Nogales, a part of her had touched U.S. soil. It was definitely a victory for her. Against all odds and facing horrific challenges along the way, Soledad guided her sister to within spitting distance of her goal.


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