theme of enrique's journey

Enrique's Journey

39 pages • 1 hour read

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Before You Read

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Chapter 2

Chapters 3-5

Chapter 6-Epilogue

Key Figures

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother is a best-selling nonfiction book by Sonia Nazario , an American journalist best known for her work on social justice. Originally published in 2006, the book is based on Nazario’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Enrique’s Journey” series, which was written in six parts and published in The Los Angeles Times .

The book, which has been published in eight languages and adapted for young adults in English and Spanish, is the product of extensive research. In addition to conducting detailed interviews with Enrique and his relatives, Nazario traveled to Honduras to recreate what Enrique experienced during his passage to the United States. By digging deep into Enrique’s background, Nazario is able to give a compelling account of both a geographical journey and an emotional one, for Enrique’s enduring feelings of resentment, abandonment, and anger prove to be perhaps as challenging as his journey across the border.

This summary refers to the 2007 edition published by Random House Trade Paperbacks.

Enrique’s Journey consists of 10 parts: a Prologue, seven chapters, an Afterword, and an Epilogue. In the Prologue, Nazario explains that she wrote the LA Times articles and book after learning that many single mothers in Central America abandon their children to find work in the United States. By publishing Enrique’s story, she aims to bring attention to the plight of migrants.

Chapter 1 focuses on Enrique’s early life. Enrique is only five years old when his mother Lourdes immigrates to the United States, leaving Enrique and his sister Belky in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The decision to leave is not easy for Lourdes, but she knows she can better provide for her children by working in the US.

Although Lourdes has legitimate reasons for leaving, her absence greatly distresses Enrique. Lourdes never gave Enrique a proper goodbye before leaving, as it was too painful for her. For many years, Enrique wonders about what Lourdes is doing in the US, why she had to leave, and when she will return. As the years drag on, Enrique loses hope that Lourdes will return. Enrique’s father abandons him as well, after remarrying and starting a new life with a new family. Overcome with anger and frustration, Enrique rebels and starts experimenting with drugs, developing an addiction. After he’s caught trying to steal jewelry to fuel his addiction, Enrique decides he must leave Honduras and travel to the US to find his mother. He will be leaving behind his girlfriend María Isabel , who is pregnant, though they don’t realize it until after Enrique’s departure.

Chapter 2 describes Enrique’s seven failed attempts to migrate to the United States, stressing the dangers he encounters along the way. The journey is long and treacherous. To reach the US, Enrique must travel through many regions of Mexico controlled by gangs, where he faces risk of arrest by immigration officers. Perhaps the most harrowing of Enrique’s experiences are those days spent riding atop trains heading toward the US-Mexico border. Hopping across trains is the only hope of avoiding detection by immigration officers or other law enforcement. Those bold enough to travel by such means face the risk of being crushed to death if the trail derails or if they fall off its side.

Chapters 3 and 4 address Enrique’s successful trip north. The former focuses on his time in Chiapas, Mexico, while the latter describes his encounters with kind strangers in Veracruz. Chapter 5 centers on Enrique’s experiences in Nuevo Laredo on the US-Mexico border. Chapter 6 describes Enrique crossing the Rio Grande into the United States with the help of a coyote . In Chapter 7, Enrique arrives North Carolina, where he and Lourdes reunite. However, the reunion does not live up to Enrique’s expectations, and he relapses. Having left his pregnant girlfriend in Honduras, Enrique must now earn money to send back to her. As his relationship with Lourdes deteriorates, Enrique must overcome his feelings of disappointment to fulfill his familial obligations. After a while, María Isabel secures passage across the border, leaving her and Enrique’s daughter Jasmín behind in Honduras, echoing the situation at the beginning of the story.

In the Afterword, Nazario outlines the two sides of the immigration debate and presents foreign aid as a primary solution to the problem of illegal immigration. The Epilogue, which describes María Isabel’s journey north, describes the cyclical nature of child abandonment.

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Enrique's Journey Themes & Motifs

Poverty is the main theme in this book. It is what drives the actions of almost all the players. Mothers, and in some cases fathers, leave their children because they need to find a way to feed them. There is a stark, sharp difference between the haves and have nots in Honduras and very few opportunities for those who have little to improve their financial situations. Women have to choose between staying with men who abuse them or cheat on them and leaving and not being able to care for their children. The situation often requires children to leave school in order to work with their mothers just so they can eat.

So the mothers leave and the children left behind live a slightly better life than their peers. But the children feel abandoned and they resent their mothers. Several times in the book, someone says...

(read more)

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Enrique's Journey: The Story of a Boy's Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother Paperback – January 2, 2007

Purchase options and add-ons

• Reading age 12 years and up
• Print length 299 pages
• Language English
• Lexile measure 830L
• Dimensions 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• Publisher Random House Trade Paperbacks
• Publication date January 2, 2007
• ISBN-10 0812971787
• ISBN-13 978-0812971781
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Trade Paperbacks; Later Printing edition (January 2, 2007)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0812971787
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0812971781
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 830L
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.9 x 8 inches
• #5 in Children's Studies Social Science (Books)
• #12 in Emigrants & Immigrants Biographies
• #14 in Emigration & Immigration Studies (Books)

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Customer Review: A real book with real people and a fascinating story!!!

About the author

Sonia nazario.

Sonia Nazario (www.enriquesjourney.com) has spent 20 years reporting and writing about social issues, most recently as a projects reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Her stories have tackled some of this country's most intractable problems: hunger, drug addiction, immigration.

She has won numerous national journalism and book awards and has been named among the most influential Latinos by Hispanic Business Magazine and a "trendsetter" by Hispanic Magazine. In 2012 Columbia Journalism Review named Nazario among "40 women who changed the media business in the past 40 years."

In 2003, her story of a Honduran boy's struggle to find his mother in the U.S., entitled "Enrique's Journey," won more than a dozen awards, among them the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, the George Polk Award for International Reporting, the Grand Prize of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the National Assn. of Hispanic Journalists Guillermo Martinez-Marquez Award for Overall Excellence.

Expanded into a book, Enrique's Journey became a national bestseller, won two book awards, and is required reading for all incoming freshmen at 21 universities and dozens of high schools nationwide. It has been selected as a "One City, One Book" read by five cities, and is being made into a movie by Lifetime.

In 1998, Nazario was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for a series on children of drug addicted parents. And in 1994, she won a George Polk Award for Local Reporting for a series about hunger among schoolchildren in California.

Nazario, who grew up in Kansas and in Argentina, has written extensively from Latin America and about Latinos in the United States. She is a graduate of Williams College and has a master's degree in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She began her career at the Wall Street Journal, where she reported from four bureaus: New York, Atlanta, Miami, and Los Angeles. In 1993, she joined the Los Angeles Times. She is now at work on her second book.

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Customers say

Customers find the storyline compelling and a testament to the power of family. They also appreciate the content as honest, covering every aspect from every angle. Readers describe the emotional tone as heart wrenching, factual, and moving. Opinions are mixed on readability, with some finding it well-written and comprehensive, while others say the style is not compelling to read and depressing.

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Customers find the storyline compelling, awesome, and a testament to the power of family. They also say it's a great portrayal of the trials of people migrate to the United States.

"...The author writes succinctly and fairly. She tells the story well from all of the individual's perspectives...." Read more

"...Sonia Nazario’s interpretation of an immigrant's journey is thrilling and heartbreaking...." Read more

"...not on misinformation and fear but rather on the well-researched, compelling story of a boy that represents the face of immigration in the United..." Read more

"...It is very well written, comprehensive, and tells the story in such a way that the reader sees more than one person's perspective...." Read more

Customers find the book provides a good insight into the journey kids make and hardships they face. They also appreciate the vivid portrayal of the goodness and evil that people seeking to immigrate face. Readers say the book covers an awesome topic and provides revealing the problem. They say it's informative, and that it changes their perspective on illegal immigration into the United States.

"...Sonia Nazario has written a timely, poignant , moving, and informative novel that is important for all individuals to read, male and female, age 12..." Read more

"...The detail helps build a sense of place for the journey of a migrant...." Read more

"...To sum up, "Enrique's Journey" is a thought-provoking novel that sensitively explores migration from a perspective...." Read more

"...It's eye-opening to hear about the divide in Mexico over the illegal immigrants arriving there from Central America...." Read more

Customers find the emotional tone of the book heart wrenching, honest, and unsentimental. They say it displays the brutality of the journey from Central America to the United States. Readers also come away with the notion of the indomitable human spirit. They mention that the book makes them feel guilty and that it presents a well-rounded, factual account of the perils that these children face.

" Heart-wrenching , bitter-sweet, and mortification; are all words that describe the withering experience which is Enrique's Journey...." Read more

"...It was full of sadness it makes us realize that we can’t judge anyone by how they look because you never know what they are going through...." Read more

"...I've also come away with the notion of the indomitable human spirit ... especially of children who seem to know no limits in the face of certain..." Read more

"...It also displays the brutality of the journey from Central America to the United States and how desperate people are to have a better life by..." Read more

Customers find the story very moving, engaging, and heartfelt. They also say the book is well written and pulls them in. Customers also say it sensitively explores migration from a perspective.

"...Sonia Nazario has written a timely, poignant, moving , and informative novel that is important for all individuals to read, male and female, age 12..." Read more

"...'s Journey" is a thought-provoking novel that sensitively explores migration from a perspective ...." Read more

"It was very moving . However, I felt a lot of the book was repeats of what I already read in the LA TIMES...." Read more

"...There were moments that were very heart felt and I am very glad that I decided to read this book...." Read more

Customers find the writing quality incredible and flowing. They also say the author clearly pushed her own limits.

"...but it is well worth the read, mainly because it is an excellent piece of journalism and gives insight into a journey that not many of us are..." Read more

"... Nazario is a good journalist , showing many sides to a very complicated issue...." Read more

"...The journalism was great , you really see how starting with one child and going outward influences so many people...." Read more

"...There’s so much information to unpack but the author keeps everything flowing . She does a great job of educating without losing Enrique’s story." Read more

Customers are mixed about the readability. Some find the book well-written, detailed, and comprehensive. They also say it's informative and a documentary type book. However, others find the style of writing not compelling to read, repetitive, dull, and boring.

"...The author writes succinctly and fairly . She tells the story well from all of the individual's perspectives...." Read more

"...the journalist's research and attention to detail, but it was very difficult to read ...." Read more

"...It is very well written, comprehensive , and tells the story in such a way that the reader sees more than one person's perspective...." Read more

"...It reads like a novel , but is an in-depth look at immigration and its impact on families...." Read more

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• Description
• Don Francisco Presenta
• Update on the Family
• María Isabel
• Young Adult Version
• Spanish Version
• Spanish Language Reviews
• Praise for Enrique’s Journey
• Reviews of Enrique’s Journey
• Articles about Author
• Articles by Author
• TV Interviews
• Radio Interviews
• Speech Videos
• Upcoming Events
• Past Events
• Speech Topics
• High School
• Middle School
• Enrique’s Journey Common Reads
• Counseling Guides
• How to Help Immigrant Students
• Work By & For Students
• Recommended Movies & Documentaries
• Journalism Instruction
• Interview with Facing History and Ourselves
• Questions for Discussion
• Media Coverage: Children and the Journey North
• Art Inspired by the Book
• Theatrical Play
• Photos of People Who Help
• Photos of Injured Migrants
• Get Involved
• Refugees at our Door
• Kids in Need of Defense [KIND]
• Hope for Honduras
• Esperanza para Honduras

Enrique’s Journey recounts the unforgettable quest of a Honduran boy looking for his mother, eleven years after she is forced to leave her starving family to find work in the United States. Braving unimaginable peril, often clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains, Enrique travels through hostile worlds full of thugs, bandits, and corrupt cops. But he pushes forward, relying on his wit, courage, hope, and the kindness of strangers. As Isabel Allende writes: “This is a twenty-first-century Odyssey. If you are going to read only one nonfiction book this year, it has to be this one.” Now updated with a new Epilogue and Afterword, photos of Enrique and his family, an author interview and more, this is a classic of contemporary America.

National Bestseller

Named one of the best books of the year by the  washington post ,  san francisco chronicle ,  miami herald , and  san antonio express-news., named the best non-fiction book of 2014 by  the latino author ., among the most chosen books as a  freshman or common read:  nearly 100 universities, more than 20 cities and scores of high schools nationwide have adopted  enrique’s journey  as a their freshman or common read. middle schools are now using a version adapted for young readers as their common read., published in august 2013: a new version of  enrique’s journey   adapted for young readers  for the 7 th  grade on up and for reluctant readers in high school and geared to new common core standards in schools. the young adult version was published in spanish in july 2015. new york city has made the ya edition part of its classroom curriculum., published in february 2014: a  revised and updated   enrique’s journey , with a new epilogue and photos., published in eight languages., recent updates.

“What Part of Illegal Don’t You Understand?” My Family’s Refugee Story Shows We Can Have an Immigration Policy that is Both Sane and Humane

My Family’s Refugee…

IT’S MONDAY: TIME…

Recent Appearances

Sonia’s tedx: solving illegal immigration [for real ], a journey towards hope – sonia speaks at kids in need of defense (kind) virtual event, buy enrique’s journey.

Enrique's Journey

By sonia nazario, enrique's journey quotes and analysis.

"'Dónde está mi mami?' Enrique cries, over and over. 'Where is my mom?'" Enrique to his family, 5

These haunting words, spoken by Enrique when his mother first leaves, touch at the center of the book's themes. No one tells five year old Enrique where his mother has gone, or when she is coming back. Lourdes and Enrique’s long distance relationship consists of telephone calls and short letters. This particular quote resonates throughout the text as Enrique travels from Honduras to the United States in search of his mother, having no idea what she looks like anymore, where she lives, or if he will ever reach her. Implicitly, these words reveal the depth of abandonment, since this sentiment of longing will serve as motivation for Enrique to pass through a terrible ordeal.

"The single mothers who are coming to this country, and the children who follow them, are changing the face of immigration to the United States." The author, xxv

In this quote, the author explains her purpose and inspiration for writing the book. Sonia Nazario wrote Enrique’s Journey to shed new light on the broader issue of immigration in the United States. In order to bring a human face to her investigation, she chose to follow one boy's journey. This approach lets her make an implicit statement to any Latina mothers who are considering immigrating to the United States - in the end, the separation of parent and child might not be worth it. The resentment the children feel toward their mothers never really goes away. Similarly, the guilt the mothers feel for having left their children also persists. Even after mother and child are reunited in the U.S., new issues arise, often resulting in negative consequences. Nazario does not want to write a political book - she wants to put a new "face" on the issue by exploring its personal, individual side.

"This is what they get for doing this journey." Adan Díaz Ruiz to Carlos Carrasco, 47

This quote is spoken in the time period directly after Enrique was savagely beaten and robbed by six men on the train, and reveals one obstacle migrants must face: the resentments of Mexican citizens. The mayor and townspeople of Las Anonas, in Oaxaca, Mexico have gathered to stare at him after his beating. Some are kind and give him money, while others look on in disgust. The mayor of a neighboring town utters this statement, specifically referring to the many injured and dead migrants he has dealt with over the years. Díaz decides to take Enrique to a local hospital not from kindness, but from pragmatism - it is cheaper for the community to treat him than it would be to bury him. Díaz's distaste is disturbing but not uncommon in this part of Mexico. Some Mexicans believe Central Americans have no business being in Mexico at all. They are concerned with their own economic problems, and have little sympathy for the problems brought by others. Their racism blinds them to the plight of the Central American migrant.

"In spite of everything, Enrique has failed again - he will not reach the United States this time, either. He tells himself over and over that he’ll just have to try again." The author, 60

Enrique’s determination to reunite with his mother is an underlying theme of the novel. Here, he is being deported to Guatemala for the last time. He sits on the Bus of Tears, with other migrants who have been caught, and wonders whether the threat is worthwhile. He has already sacrificed so much. Ultimately, though, the many arguments for giving up matter less than his determination to reunite with his mother. If he lacked even a bit of such perseverance, he would surely be deterred as many others are. This sense of determination in the face of such extreme odds is one of the many sides of immigration that Nazario wants to present and explore.

"They really screwed me up." Enrique to himself, 100

Enrique looks into a store window, and sees for the first time his battered reflection. He has been beaten, robbed, and humiliated. The scars on his head and body bear testament to what he has endured on this journey. When he looks into the window, he is ashamed by what he sees, and acknowledges that he is now marked by violence. However, he does not give up, but rather accepts this as another obstacle that he must overcome in order to succeed. His hope and determination are stronger than the troubles, and in confronting his own weakness but persisting nevertheless, he reveals that quality that ultimately facilitates his arrival in the U.S.

"It’s wrong for our government to send people back to Central America. If we don’t want to be stopped from going into the United States, how can we stop Central Americans in our country?" A man from Veracruz to Sonia Nazario, 103

This quotation addresses the larger issue of immigration within the text. As the author states, a number of Americans believe that Central American and Mexican immigrants are taking jobs away from native-born citizens, are over-using government aid, and are bringing crime into the country. Some Mexicans, in turn, feel similarly about the Central Americans in their country. And yet this man's opinion touches on an unsettling hypocrisy that suggests a wider truth. It is within our human nature to want to protect what is ours. Most societies are reluctant to share their resources, and yet we usually recognize a duty to help our fellow man. Whereas an individual might acknowledge a flaw in his society's policy, the society as a whole cannot be so easily led to practice such idealism.

"Can you imagine how far they have come?" The people of Veracruz to the author, 106

Unlike the citizens of many other states in Mexico, the people of Veracruz are known for their unwavering kindness toward migrants. Their priests and bishops encourage them to feed and clothe the migrants. They are reminded that Jesus himself was once a migrant, moving from Israel to Egypt. The migrants, in turn, view Veracruz as a land of hope and faith. Having passed through "the beast" of Chiapas, migrants are welcomed by the hope and kindness of Veracruz. Because this one part of Mexico is willing to show regular charity, many migrants are given the strength to continue that that might otherwise lose. This statement suggests that empathy can exist if we are willing to consider the migrants as individuals and not just faceless parts of a social problem.

"Thank you for returning to your country." American Border Patrol officers to migrants, 137

These words have been heard hundreds of thousands of times by the migrants on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. Enrique hears them as well. Certainly, they are representative of the final great obstacle migrants face - crossing the border into the U.S. However, the horizon in their sight is a symbol of hope, and this implicit warning functions in the same way. Although the Border Patrol agents offer constant reminder of their presence, there is also a tantalizing hope that if a migrant can avoid the Border Patrol, he or she can cross into the promised land and end this journey. They can change their country from Mexico to the U.S. with just a little bit of luck.

"The effect of immigration has been family disintegration. People are leaving behind the most important value: family unity." Oscar Escalada Hernández to author, 248

This sentiment touches on what is arguably the book's primary purpose. Referring to the lasting emotional damage of family separation, Oscar Escalada Hernández, director of the Casa YMCA shelter for immigrant children, suggests that dissolution of the family is the worst effect of immigration. The separation between mother and child creates irreparable emotional damage that impacts not only those involved but also the community in which they interact. Nazario explains how some children grow into restless adults, who are never able to forgive their parent(s) for leaving them. Others, like Enrique, try to overlook the past and move toward a brighter future; however, their lives are often marked by addiction or other coping methods. The true irony is the fact that the mothers originally left their country and children to help keep their family intact. Little did they realize the future ramification of that decision. One of Nazario's purposes is to remind us all of this less palpable risk that migrant parents run.

"We’ll have to leave the baby behind." Enrique to María Isabel, 196

In a sad turn of events, María Isabel decides to leave her daughter, Jasmín, in Honduras while she joins Enrique in the United States. Enrique and María Isabel feel they are giving their daughter the best possible opportunity for the future. Yet, as Nazario insinuates in the Epilogue, this decision suggests that a vicious circle is continuing. Enrique's journey morphed from a trip through Mexico into a trip through himself, an attempt to make peace with his resentment over abandonment. And yet he and María Isabel repeat the same destructive pattern by leaving their daughter, with only hope of reuniting. Belky stands as a counterpoint, someone who actually does return to Honduras to raise her son, while Enrique persists in his hope that his family unit will not be too damaged by separation.

Enrique’s Journey Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Enrique’s Journey is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

WHAT IS ENRIQUE FORCCED TO DO UPON RINALY REACHING THE AMERICAN SIDE OF THE RIO GRANDE

In order to remain undetected, Enrique and the others must wait for an hour in a half in a freezing creek into which a sewage treatment plant dumps refuse.

Why is crossing the river so difficult?

For Enrique, crossing the river by himself is dangerous. He cannot swim and if he's caught, he will be deported.

They are put in detention centers and sent back. The detention centers ar cramped full of crooks and people that exploit them.

Study Guide for Enrique’s Journey

Enrique's Journey study guide contains a biography of Sonia Nazario, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Enrique's Journey
• Enrique's Journey Summary
• Character List

Essays for Enrique’s Journey

Enrique's Journey essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario.

• Criticism, Sympathy, and Encouragement: Depicting the American Dream in 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Enrique's Journey'

Lesson Plan for Enrique’s Journey

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Enrique's Journey
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Enrique's Journey Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Enrique’s Journey

• Introduction