Identify three major topics from the course (from the units on methods, medical
anthropology, linguistic anthropology, globalization & development, foodways,
environmental anthropology, economics, politics, race/class/ethnicity, sex & sexuality, kinship, religion, or the arts) and write an essay illustrating how those topics relate to Seth Holmes’s research presented in Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies. Keep in mind that part of the goal of this essay is for you to demonstrate your understanding of class material & the book
– so be specific, use examples to illustrate larger points, and draw on the ethnography, the
textbook, and other class materials as sources.
https://www.perlego.com/book/551754/fresh-fruit-broken-bodies-pdf
you can use this link to gain free access to the book temporarily
Fresh fruits, Broken bodies is a book by Seth Holmes who is an anthropologist and physician. In the book, the author focuses on various inequality that undocumented immigrants working as farmworkers in the United States face in their work. These inequalities range from social to economic and healthcare, which is profound but could be prevented. Writing the book, the author mainly bases his arguments on observations after accompanying a group towards crossing the border and identifies the troubles and dangers they face from the border and even those he interacted with at the farm. Various immigration policies in the US are a source of deliberate danger to the migrants. The lack of jobs in countries like Mexico and the increased need for labor to work on US farms pushes these Mexicans to sneak in to get jobs. This essay discusses racial discrimination, structural violence, and economic inequality and how they apply to the book ‘Fresh fruits, Broken bodies’ by Seth Holmes.
Moving to the US and working on the farms, the Latin Mexicans face a lot of racial discrimination. Racial discrimination comes when people get treated differently from other people due to their background, origin, and ethnic groups. The Asians and Mexican origin are among groups that face racism and discrimination due to their background and origin. The author of this book, aa white ma,n explains how his Mexican brothers were ill-treated right from entry to the country, unlike what he experienced. He explained how racial, ethnic, and citizenship hierarchy was followed at the farm, leading to more suffering for certain groups of people. Workers from certain ethnic groups were underpaid and pushed to hard work compared to groups like the whites. He speaks of the open racism demonstrated by farm leaders who are mainly whites and Latin Americans. Him being white, he explains how he faces better treatment and even given better grouping in his work despite being in the lowest group of workers. The kind of treatment he receives is unique due to his race, unlike what other workers get.
Structural violence and poverty are highly felt among the farmworkers, more so to the immigrants both documented and undocumented. They receive ill-treatment due to their race and ethnicity. Holmes explains how he witnessed the underpayment that the farmworkers such as the Triqui people received meager wages and had to work very hard under pressure without rest or even breaks to the bathroom. He explained how they got the worst jobs and had constant worries about their supervisors’ racism. He explains the physical pain faced in the farm’s hierarchy. In his time at the farm, he met three men, Abelino, crescendo, and Bernado. He explains how these men face health problems but do not receive the health care they should get. Abelina gets excruciating pain in his knee, which prevents him from walking or even working. Crescendo gets severe headaches from his supervisor’s shouting, which only goes away with excessive drinking and constantly worries about being a disappointment to his family. Bernado has a severe stomach problem as a result of torture. Their cases get mishandled by the US medical system with their symptoms being ignored, getting diagnoses, miscommunication, and even getting overcharged for the medical services. The doctors constantly ignore cases of those people who come from marginalized groups. These people get harmed by being denied from accessing the proper health care they should get.
Economic inequality is also another topic that can be discussed with the readings from the book. This kind of inequality involves the unequal distribution of opportunities and income among different groups in society. According to Holmes’s writing, opportunities are not equally or fairly distributed as certain groups hold more significant positions than others. Undocumented migrants hold the lowest-paid positions and even do the most challenging jobs together with those who come from marginalized groups. He explains how they receive meager wages after long working without breaks or time to rest. They received rigid pay and are at times subjected to paying hefty bills for their treatment. For instance, Bernado receives a 3,000-dollar bill from his doctor without medication, a hefty one considering his daily earning. The people grouped high in the chain worry about their financial problems and the economy and look after themselves at the expense of those lowest in the hierarchy, leaving them to suffer for meager wages each passing day.
In conclusion, various topics can be discussed concerning the book in context. The topics discussed in this essay include racial discrimination, economic inequality, and structural violence. According to Holmes, workers faced discrimination based on their race or ethnicity, with the minorities facing most discrimination. Economic inequality is also experienced among people in the lower social class with severe structural violence where workers are denied proper health care. The author concludes by calling on a change and improvement on the immigration policies to improve immigrants’ livelihood and quality of life.
