The journey that John and Rawlins take into Mexico not long after World War II suggests a world seemingly untouched by modernity. It can't be considered a comprehensive portrait of the country, because other than their stay at the ranch, the boys stick mainly to empty mesas and obscure small villages, and signs of life are rare. The only major city mentioned, Mexico City, is never really described or encountered—we only hear that Alejandra disappears there now and again. Class, kindness, criminality, and spirituality all exist together uneasily. While they do run into kind and community-oriented folks in the villages and sometimes on the road, the boys also encounter hardened cowboys, corrupt officials, and violent prisoners.
Questions About Visions of Mexico
- The Mexican American characters in the novel pointedly mention they've never been to Mexico and seem loath to speak Spanish to John. Why might that be?
- What are some contrasts that you can see in the novel's picture of Mexico's different classes: What are the differences between peasants and the powerful? Vaqueros, "men of the country," and prisoners?
- What kind of connections does the novel make between the land itself and its people?
Chew on This
Rather than making a definitive statement about Mexico as a whole, the novel is content to let its characters make their judgments and observes their contradictions through the actions of minor characters.
Although many characters offer counterpoints through their actions, McCarthy essentially uses certain characters like Alfonsa as mouthpieces to speak about Mexican society, and allows them to go largely unchallenged.