The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child

Francisco begins to mature in these two stories as he recognizes more of the negative aspects of following the circuit and places more emphasis on The Challenges of the Immigrant Experience. Francisco experiences acts of discrimination and prejudice that give him a new outlook on adult life.

“The Circuit” illuminates the hardships and instability inherent in following the harvests to make a living. The constant moving wears on Francisco. Francisco is exhausted and oppressed by the seemingly unending and unrewarding cycle of moving and working. He comments, “Suddenly I felt even more the hours, days, weeks, and months of work” (74). Francisco’s observation that he does not like moving, though his little siblings find each move an “adventure,” shows that he is growing up: He wants stability. Francisco now works alongside Papá and Roberto and describes how arduous the work is for little reward. He, Roberto, and Papá return home from picking grapes from dawn to dusk in extreme heat, exhausted, with the three of them earning only quince, or $15.

Francisco is also more attuned to class and social differences. His matter-of-fact juxtaposition of his description of Mr. Sullivan’s large, well-tended home with the run-down garage where the family stays, shows a sharp contrast between Mr. Sullivan’s wealth and permanence and the family’s poverty and transience.

In “Learning the Game” Francisco experiences two instances of injustice that affect his worldview. Gabriel, the bracero from Mr. Díaz’s camp, expresses how Díaz, the contratista, mistreats and takes advantage of them because he has the power to do so. Díaz gives the braceros inadequate food and takes an unfairly large portion of their earnings to cover their lodging, food, and transportation. Gabriel, however, needs the work to send money home to his family in Mexico and must play by Díaz’s “rules.” Similarly, on a smaller scale, Francisco and his brothers must abide by bully Carlos’s discriminatory rules and exclude Manuelito if they want to play kick-the-can.

Díaz’s bullying is underpinned by racial prejudice. He believes that Gabriel and the braceros are “lesser” than himself and natural-born Americans: They are not equal, and do not have equal rights or value. Díaz does not respect Gabriel’s fellow humanity and insists Gabriel must do what he says because “this isn’t your country, idiot!” (91). When Gabriel stands up for his “dignity,” Díaz, in classic bully fashion, resorts to violence, then makes a cowardly retreat. Francisco’s experience with racial inequality will become even more prominent in the upcoming story, “Moving Still.”

Sensitive Francisco is shocked and frightened by the conflict between Gabriel and Díaz, but also empowered. Francisco applies the understanding he gains about standing up for what is inherently right in his conflict with Carlos. Like Gabriel, Francisco refuses to do what he believes is wrong: prejudicially shutting out Manuelito, whom Carlos sees as “lesser.” Francisco takes a physical blow for his beliefs, like Gabriel, but unlike Gabriel, Francisco triumphs—Manuelito can play. Francisco is troubled when Gabriel is fired and sent back to Mexico for standing up for his rights. Although Papá confirms that Gabriel’s actions were correct, and that Díaz will eventually be held accountable, Francisco experiences a new awareness of injustice and adult problems. The “game” in the story’s title refers to both Francisco’s kick-the-can conflict, and his new, more grown-up understanding of navigating adult injustices and power imbalances in the higher-stakes “game” of life.

Although The Importance of Education is always recognized by the Jimenez family, it takes second priority to work: earning money and providing for the family takes precedent. Papa keeps Francisco and Roberto harvesting grapes even though the school season has started, having them hide in the vineyard to avoid being seen and investigated for truancy. School gives Francisco a welcome reprieve from field work, and Francisco is eager to learn. He recognizes that language contributes to a power imbalance. Enrolling in sixth grade, he comments that he is shocked to hear English for the first time in months. Although he instinctively wants to respond in Spanish, Francisco does not, showing both his desire to bridge the gap between cultures and his bravery in stepping outside his insular community. Francisco sees that language can be a barrier to opportunity. Papá cannot speak English, for instance, and must have Mamá ask Mr. Sullivan for work. Francisco shows his drive to learn English when he practices his initial school reading alone in the restroom. It takes both humility, courage, and commitment to approach Mr. Lema for help with his reading.

Francisco counts Mr. Lema as his “best friend” at school. This is a high compliment for the kindly teacher, which also reflects Francisco’s loneliness, suggesting that he does not have many good friends his own age at school. The circuit continues to isolate Francisco, keeping him from developing lasting friendships. His few friendships are impactful but short-lived. He loses another friend, a bracero at the strawberry camp, when the family moves to Fresno, and he loses Mr. Lema’s mentorship and friendship—and future opportunities—when he discovers the family is moving again. The cardboard boxes packed with their possessions symbolize moving, loss, and thwarted hopes (See: Symbols & Motifs).