The Great Arizona Orphan Abduction, Book Review Example

The great Arizona orphan abduction. By Linda Gordon. (Harvard University Press, 1999)

The book by Linda Gordon is a historical interpretation of the fate of orphans in the United States. The plot mainly revolves around the 1904 Supreme Court verdict on the wellbeing of the orphans. Additionally, it highlights a four day incident in Arizona where white women planned the abduction of approximately forty orphans. The main intention of the women was to ensure that the children would not be placed with Mexican-American families. Moreover, the book illuminates on the establishment of racial boundaries along the Mexican border. There was a town in Arizona where there were mines which required workers. Therefore, the smelters hired thousands of Mexican immigrant employees to work in the mines. In the manuscript, Linda displays a variety of themes which play a crucial role in the depiction of the story. They include the shifting class and race connections, and the opinions of rules in the American West.

Linda tells a captivating story which ensures the readers are attentive on the major and minor details portrayed in the tale. Nevertheless, the events in the book are not chronologically arranged. Instead, there cases where some incidences are left untold and later retold. Through the strategy, the author increases suspense to the reader making one to engage more in the manuscript to comprehend the events that follow next. Besides, Gordon reprints articles and court documents from 1904 to relay the racial perceptions that existed in the region. Earlier on, numerous organizations suggested that urban orphans in the urban areas were to be adopted by families in the rural region or they should be transported to other less populated areas. The strategy had not been implemented, but it was later approved. It led to the migration of children from the East to the West. The approach was a lie as the children reached the highway; they did not find any families waiting for them. The kids were utilized to work in different sectors including the mines.

The railroad utilized to transport children, ceased its activities after catholic organizations intervened. One of the health facilities made arrangements for forty children to be adopted by Mexican-American families in a town in Arizona. The public, especially, white women disagreed on the decision and planned to kidnap the children. Moreover, the women advised their husbands to travel to Morenci to report the matter to the sheriff for the priest to be arrested. The priest and the nuns were against the opinion and prevented the people from taking the children away. Back in 1904, a cluster of people went around in the community to collect orphans. Linda depicts that none of the individuals knew the consequences of their actions. While question in the court, the men claimed they faced little resistance. However, the writer notes that the abductors could not speak English fluently. Besides, the families could not resist since the individuals were armed. The children were forced out of the orphanage and were taken to homes of the civilians. Later, the health facility filed a case at a local court. Nevertheless, the case proceeded to the Supreme Court, and the acts were declared as child abuse. Moreover, it was concluded that Mexican families could not provide the same provisions as white parents. Therefore, placing children with Mexican families limited the progress of children as adults. The book explores a variety of issues that were encountered during the period such as feminism.

In conclusion, the book concludes by making the readers wonder what the events depict on class, workers, racism, and families. The book leaves the audience at suspense wondering what happened to the orphans after they were rescued. Additionally, the manuscript invokes different emotions to the reader depending on how the individual percepts the tale.