Reading Notes A, Week 4: The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit

This was a story about Joaquin Murieta, he was Mexican and born in Mexico. He was described as, "remarkable for a very mild and peaceable disposition"pg 162 Joaquin moved to California, after the war with Mexico, he was upset with his native people and wanted to venture away from his home and live among the American people. At the age of 18 years old he was engaged and made his by a rich mining claim. He was was described as handsome, loved and respected by his community. During this time not everyone felt that any/all Mexicans should have this level of class, they were called lawless men. These men went into his home, hit him, tied his hands and feet up and rape his fiance' in front of him. They left their home and went up north of the mines and started a farm. There he looked for peace again, but this did not last. He again was driven away from his home, "with no other excuse than that he was, "an infernal Mexican intruder!"pg 165. They moved again, this time he ended up at Murphy's Diggings and started to mine again and then started a Mexican game, "Monte." He was accused of stealing a horse, he was tied to a tree and he was publicly shamed.

"It was then that the character of Joaquin changed, suddenly and irrevocable." pg 166

He ended up murdering the men that tied him to the tree and shamed him. He became a robber, murderer, an outlaw, and a bandit.

The saying, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover," is the theme of the story to me. Joaquin left his home and country to make a better life for himself and did three times. All three times his honest way of life was taken from him because he was not American, he was Mexican. These men did not look at Joaquin as a person that was making an honest living from himself but instead judged him because of being born a Mexican. 

So many times in life we judge people because of the was they look, ethnic background or culture and not because of who the person is or what they have made of themselves.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_judge_a_book_by_its_cover