Thursday, January 24, 2008

Plum Plum Pickers Period 2



Due: You need to post your essay by Monday, January 28th @2:30 p.m.
Scoring Guide: Open Response Rubric 100 points (Major Essays & Open Responses)

You must turn in all notes on "Plum Plum Pickers" by Raymond Barrio in class on Monday.
Scoring Guide: Reader's Notebook Rubric 40 points (Homework, Notes, Etc)

Before you Submit:

  • Your Essay Needs a Title.
  • This should be at least 3 pages, typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman.
  • Please leave spaces between paragraphs for formatting.

Reminder to read the handout on passage explications and go through this process.

A passage explication is an essay that takes apart the pieces of a prose passage to demonstrate how it creates meaning – its main question can be reduced to the simple idea of “What does the passage mean? What is its purpose? How does it create that meaning and achieve its purpose? How does it fit in with the rest of the text (if available)?”

Period 2 Post here. Period 2 Post here. Period 2 Post here.

23 comments:

Jameel T2 said...

Plum Plum Pickers Essay

In the passage Plum Plum Pickers, the author suggests that man was meant to do something with his life. Man was meant to do better things, then being a slave to another man. Man was meant was meant to experience life and what it had to offer.

The passage I choose talks about how manual saw men for what they really where, people who had endless possibilities and could change the world if they wanted. Man was built to be different, to do different things, to experience life in different ways. Man wasn’t made to do the same thing day after day, something eventually has to change, and it just can’t be the same all the time. We don’t learn from doing things over and over, I mean you do, but you won’t learn anything new if you don’t move on to new things entirely. This says that man doing all these different things is what man builds there life on. Doing all these different things is the reason why people today have food, shelter, love, religion and so much more. The author establishes his point by showing us how manual realized man had more of a purpose then gathering prunes and apricots.

He does this threw word choice, by saying words like “Insensibly”, “Mechanically” and “Antlike”, basically saying how man works without question, just like a robot, not asking anything questions why he is doing what he is doing. He works like an ant, indifferent from any other ant, just doing it’s job, and not asking why it’s there or what it could be doing intend of what he is doing. He then resolves his point by him talking about how men are meant to experience pride and honor. He then communicates using point of viewing all man. The passage fits in the text by resolving what he thought about man.
The purpose it serves is to tell us that man was meant to do bigger and better things with there life.

Next we talk about four actions that happened in the story, which are the exposition, rising action, climax and the falling action. The exposition is that he shows us man, who is doing slave work and shows us how these men could be doing so much more with there lives then gathering prunes and apricots like slaves, while they could be discovering who they truly are and what they have to offer to the world and how they might impact it. Next is the rising action, which is when Roberto stands there and tells everyone he must take 2 cents from everyone, which then angers all of the Mexicans, including manual, which was probably the most furious of all of them. He then stood up to Roberto, by telling him he promised not to take any money and everything was shocked that he said such a thing, but afterwards he kicked his bucket over full of apricots and Roberto told him to pick them up as he said his last name, which then Manuel thought to himself, saying he knows his name, then Manuel kicked over another bucket of apricots. After this brings us to the Climax, which is where all the Mexican pickers gather around manual and basically follow his lead, which shows how all of them united would over power Roberto.

Finally we get to are falling action, which is where Roberto realizes he would be no match for all of the Mexican pickers all together so he gives in and tells all of them that he will not be taking any money from them. Once that was over he felt a rush of power and tells us he had never won anything before so it was a very important moment for him in the story. Manual then realized that man counted for something and where not meant to be slaves and gather all of these apricots. They where meant to build things, and make new discoveries. They where meant for so many things and also to “experience a certain sense of honor and pride”. If mean are denied this right, they are useless, there purpose in life taken away means that have nothing to offer and it basically is the same as death, there meaning in life is dead, which kills them before they actually truly die. This is what the author means when he says man was meant to do something with his life.

Anonymous said...

Plum Plum Pickers Explication Essay

In the excerpt when Manuel wins against Roberto from taking money from the workers, the author Raymond Barrio suggests that a man is not a man if he does not fight for what is his. Barrio says this by using the struggle between Manuel’s job and the job overseer Roberto. Manuel the protagonist of the story is trapped in his job of picking fruit off of trees, collecting bucket after bucket on and on again. Roberto the antagonist is the job overseer, he works for the higher ups and makes sure everyone does as he says; in the story he takes money from everyone’s paychecks without warning. Manuel represents man or humankind and Roberto stands for everything that gets in the way, another man or otherwise.

In the exposition of the short story Barrio starts off with a description of a picking farm lines of apricot trees are “just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell”. Barrio uses one word sentences that stop the readers flow, words like “locked”, “animal”, and “brute” which are all harsh and are words used in description of prison. As the exposition continues someone is described, which is latter discovered to be Manuel, as having “brute cells”, and “animal pores”. As Manuel just works he is characterized as an animal and never human just an animal. Barrio’s description of Manuel is harsh and unforgiving to the reader’s eyes he is a dirty wreck. Then it is lunch and Manuel is not longer described and an animal but a tired man who is so tired he can barely eat his own food. But once he is said to have “picked a mountain of cots automatically” he is again referred as “an automator. A beast” it’s as though his job is what makes him an animal. He then goes to sleep but falls off the tree where he was laying on and then Roberto comes in calling him a swearword which Barrio puts in Spanish. Manuel then goes back to work he is tired and exhausted, his body and mind giving out on him then the work day has ended.

At the end of the work day Barrio then goes back to Roberto Morales and then starts the rising action. Roberto is described and “gentlemanly, friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, thieving brute” and mean to his own kind, Mexican, even if he grew up with them and suffered with them he still ordered them around without remorse. Barrio the goes into the detail of Roberto’s bosses and how they didn’t care how Roberto got everyone to work and the only fault they have is not caring. Roberto then speaks to the exhausted pickers and says that he “must take two cents from every bucket”. The causes the pickers to gasp and know that would take two or three dollars from everyone’s pay. Barrio uses Roberto as a humans block, their brick wall so to speak.

Roberto then takes us to the climax, there he tells all the workers that there was a money problem and must take two cents from every bucket. The shocked workers gasp knowing that their overall pay has been destroyed. Manuel loosing patience yells “You promised to take nothing!” which shocks the workers more. Manuel’s time is now to break the barrier of humanity and being a drone. Roberto and Manuel’s standoff represent a man’s decision to back off or drive forward. Manuel decides to drive forward and kicks over his bucket of fruit, now the fruits ruined and can’t be sold and is a loss of money for Roberto. Roberto tells him to pick it up and he refuses kicking another. The other pickers decide to join Manuel in being their own person by standing over their buckets in what I’m guessing is to pee on them. Barrio does not refer to them as animals anymore but just as the other pickers. Roberto backs off letting Manuel and the other pickers win. Manuel fights for his money not letting Roberto win and Manuel’s winnings are not only his money but his dignity and his humanity.

Barrio then comes to the resolution, Manuel has won and so has his fellow workers and his family. Barrio writes “That a man counted for something, For men, Manuel dimly suspected, are built for something more important and less trifling than the mere gathering of prunes and apricots, hour upon hour, decade upon decade, insensibly, mechanically, antlike, Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride. Or else they are dead before they die.” Barrio explains what he believes a man is to experience, honor and pride. Barrio uses Manuel, Manuel get his honor back from Roberto who tried to steal it along with his money and Manuel experiences pride after winning. Barrio says that man should not be animal like neither insect like and fight for themselves and live with honor and pride not being beat down by a boss. Without the fight between Manuel and Roberto Manuel would still be a beast and a drone while Roberto the winner.

jameelah s2 said...

Excerpt Explication: The Plum Plum Pickers


In the excerpt of The Plum Plum Pickers the author Raymond Barrio suggests that when people are trying to survive they will do anything, even if it means lowering themselves to acting like an animal, but at the same time protect their self-importance and respect. The author creates this meaning by comparing the environment to jail, comparing the workers to animals and machines, and by how the excerpt is written with frequent pauses.
The exposition in this excerpt starts off with describing the trees as black bars and Manuel the main character is being described as an animal. “Drank the holy water in great brute gulps so that he so that he wouldn’t have to savor it’s tastelessness.” (1st paragraph, lines 9-10) The way he is described drinking the water shows the creature that is inside of him. Manuel like all the other fruit pickers is doing what he can to support himself and his family. If the author Raymond Barrio didn’t compare the trees to “the blackest bars of hell” it could still be compared to hell because of the weather and working conditions. Raymond also uses many periods and commas in this excerpt. This makes it a boring; a drag. The pauses creates a tired feel in which Manuel is experiencing. It states that “he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees”. In other words this is his job. He is a slave and there is no other way for him to earn some money. “Lay back on the cool ground for half an hour.” He is using the techniques animals use for surviving through the heat.
The rising action begins when Robert Morales the antagonist enters the scene. He has come to take some money away from the slaves again. Slaves are always treated like animals. The people above them feel superior and feel they have the right to do whatever they want. These are Roberto’s own people, he is like them but because he is in a higher position than them he does not care. Manuel the main character acts like an animal when it is threatened. “You promised to take nothing!” “The two men, centered in a huge ring of red-ringed eyes, glared at each other.” The men being centered and angry can be compared to a bullfight. Manuel is the banderillero and Roberto is the bull. Manuel has the red cloth (money) that Roberto is trying to get. This situation is like a predator and prey. The predator hunts the prey for food. Sometimes the prey fights back. Here Roberto is the predator and Manuel and the other slaves are the prey. Instead of food Roberto is hunting for money. “The other exhausted animals studied through widening eyes.” A leader is someone who shows other people what they think is right and goes by their own decisions not someone else’s. This is where Manuel becomes a role model and a leader. He is setting an example for the other slaves. Then Manuel knocked over his last bucket of cots. By standing up Manuel is gaining his self-respect and keeping his earnings. Roberto does not take the money. “Roberto Morales said sharply, ‘All right. All right, men. I shall take nothing this time.” This almost reverses the places of Roberto and Manuel. Roberto is now the weaker one and is under Manuel’s control.
For the resolution Manuel gets a thrill of power. He also “gains respect from the other slaves.” It’s like when two male wolves fight to see who will be dominant and lead the pack. “Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride.” Manuel fought for that pride. Even though men are sometimes lowered to an position where they are not really strong they will always find a way to retain their pride and self-respect.

Miranda V2 said...

"Plum Plum Pickers" Explication

In the short story "Plum Plum Pickers" the author, Raymond Barrio, suggests that the only way to be human is to feel a sense of pride. He does this through his characterization of the protagonist, Manuel, and imagery.

In the exposition of the story, Barrio uses one word sentences to characterize the main character Manuel as a beast. The words that Barrio used are: trapped, locked, animal, brute, beast, savage, wreck, and predator. These one word sentences are placed in between short sentences, which Barrio uses to create a tone of desperation. "No matter which way he turned, he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them, row after row, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell. There had to be an end. There had to be. There- trapped. There had to be a way out. Locked. There had to be a respite. Animal..." By using commas and short sentences, Barrio is giving the reader a sense of how Manuel is feeling, trapped. Since Manuel is feeling trapped he wants to get out and Barrio shows this when he repeats the idea of getting out and wanting a break from everything. The pauses are like the pauses an animal would take as it is pacing back and forth in a small cage. This is an image that some readers would see or imagine as they read this section. In doing this, Barrio is characterizing Manuel as being more animal than human. Barrio characterizes Manuel physically as an animal in the second to last sentence of the first paragraph, "He...raised the dented dipper from the brute tank, drank...in great brute gulps so he wouldn't have to savor its tastelessness, letting it spill down his torn shirt to cool his exhausted body, to replenish his brute cells and animal pores and stinking follicles and pig gristle, a truly refined wreck of an animal, pleased to meetcha." In using the word brute repetitively as a way of describing Manuel, Barrio creates Manuel as a character who is an animal and if the reader didn't know that he was an apricot picker and using a dipper to get a drink, the reader would think that Barrio was describing an actual animal. By setting Manuel up to be an animal rather than human, he is setting it up so that when the conflict arises he can tell us what it would take to actually be human.

In the second half of the exposition, Barrio is descriptive and gives the reader a better idea of the setting. The sentences have some more length to them and Barrio does not use one word sentences. After Manuel has his break he goes back into the motions of picking and Barrio uses the description of Manuel's actions as another way to give the reader a feel for the motions, "Then up again. The trees. The branches again. The briarly branches. The scratching leaves. The twigs tearing his shirt sleeves. The ladder." Barrio is being repetitive which is much like how it is when Manuel is picking apricots. A symbol that Barrio uses is the idea of exhaustion. Barrio states at several points that Manuel is exhausted and that his body is exhausted and because he is so tired he does nothing to get away from being trapped. Another way to interpret Manuel's exhaustion is to think of it as Barrio saying that Manuel is tired of living a life as an animal or as a machine that does things automatically without thought.

Roberto Morales is introduced as the antagonist and instantly Manuel's hatred for him and the conflict arises. In some ways it is almost as if Manuel has become the narrator and is describing Roberto. The tone in this section is seething hatred. Although there is hatred behind the characterization of Roberto, Roberto is characterized as being human rather than an animal as Manuel had been. "The contratista Roberto Morales stood there...A Mexican general. A gentlemanly, friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, thieving brute. The worst kind. To his own people... Despite...showing that he was one of them, that he'd started with them, that he grew up with them, that he'd suffered all the sordid deprivations with them, he was actually the shrewdest, smartest, richest, cannibal in forty counties around." Barrio creates the seething tone of hatred through the adjectives he uses. This section shows the conflict between Roberto and Manuel and it is because Roberto changed from being just like Manuel and living through the same things to being Manuel's boss and taking advantage of the pickers rather than relate to them.

After a long day of climbing tree after tree and picking apricot after apricot, Manuel was exhausted and could not wait to give his pickings to the truck gatherer and receive his earnings, Roberto announces that he is going to take two cents worth of apricots from every bucket and asks if everyone understands the situation. Manuel understands, however, he knows that if Roberto takes two cents from every bucket, each man would lose about three dollars for the day. This is when Manuel speaks up and stands up for himself by calling Roberto out and going so far as tipping over a bucket of his apricots as a sign that he was not going to let Roberto take anything from him. After this happens, Barrio writes, "The two men, centered in a huge ring of red-ringed eyes, glared at each other..The other exhausted animals studied the tableau." This is the first time that Barrio calls Manuel a man and the reason Barrio does so now is because Manuel is standing up for himself. Barrio also describes the other pickers who are watching Manuel and Roberto as animals. Barrio does this because he is trying to let the reader keep in mind how it is that Manuel is now human and why he was not before.

In "Plum Plum Pickers" Raymond Barrio explains what it means to be a man. In order to be human a person needs to feel a sense of pride and honor. According to Barrio, "...a man counted for something...men... are built for something more important and less trifling than the mere gathering of prunes and apricots, hour upon hour, decade upon decade...mechanically, antlike. Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride. Or else they are dead before they die." Barrio is not saying that in order to be human a person needs to defy everyone who tries to tell you what to do. What he is saying is that a person needs to have his limits and stand up for what he believes in. If he does not do so he will be living the life that someone decides for him. A person cannot feel alive if he is not living a life of his own and that is what Barrio is trying to say when he says that if a man does not experience a sense of honor and pride, they are dead before they die.

Nicke F2 said...

Nicke Falaise
Period 2
The Plum Plum Pickers
The Plum Plum Pickers Explication

In the excerpt from the novel The Plum Plum Pickers, the author Raymond Barrio suggests that to be human you have to experience a certain sense of honor and pride.
Or else your stay on this earth is meaningless therefore you are nothing aka not human. This is the purpose of the excerpt.

The author Raymond Barrio creates meaning in his novel The Plum Plum Pickers, by giving the reader the sense of what it was like for the workers to be working in these rows of apricot trees. Raymond Barrio makes the workers in the novel seem inhuman to the reader. He does this by writing these one word sentences and paragraphs. He expresses the words animal, brute, and beast in these one word sentences to describe the characteristics of these workers. In doing so h gives these workers un-human like qualities and expresses these qualities in one word sentences. Therefore he is drawing the reader into that one word sentence in the passage and giving the reader the visual of this animal instead of this person that is a worker. "He stopped and walked to the farthest end of the first row for some water, raised the dented dipper from the brute tank, drank the holy water in great brute gulps so he wouldn't have to savor its tastelessness, letting it spill down his torn shirt to cool his exhausted body, to replenish his brute cells and animal pores and stinking follicles and pig gristle, a truly refined wreck of an animal, pleased to meetcha." The meaning this passage creates and idea that Raymond Barrio is trying to stress is that the workers picking these fruit are simply inhuman. This is the exposition.


Roberto Morales the antagonist of the excerpt taken from the novel written by Raymond Barrio, The Plum Plum Pickers. He is the “contratista”. “His feet straddled. Mexican style. A real robber. A Mexican general. A gentlemanly friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, thieving brute. The worst kind. To his own people. Despite his being a fellow Mexican, despite his torn, old clothing, everyone knew what kind of clever criminal he was.” This is a small introduction of the character Roberto Morales the antagonist of the excerpt. This quote embarks the beginning of the rising action. It fits in with the rest of the text throughout the excerpt for the reason of the way that Roberto Morales is described is that of a human who has a snake like personality. Even though he is being described as low down and dirty he still is given human like qualities. The rising action continues, “Whenever Robert Morales spoke, Manuel had to force himself not to answer. He had to keep his temper from flaring.” This warns the reader that the climax is going to come up shortly.

The protagonist of the story Manual is a worker that picks fruit off of apricot trees. For close to nothing he is pushed to his limits when Robert Morales threatens to take money out of the pay and is forced to defend what he believes is his humanity. This is the climax of the story. It is the part of the excerpt where the author Raymond Barrio suggests that to be human you have to experience a certain sense of honor and pride. “Now. I must take two cents from every bucket. I am sorry. There was a miscalculation. Everybody understands. Everybody?” He slid his eyes around, smiling, palms up. The tired, exhausted pickers gasped as one. Yes. Everyone understood. Freezing in place. After all that hard work. “Any questions, men?”……. that that would mean a loss of two or three dollars out of each picker’s pay that day, a huge windfall for Morales. “You promised to take nothing!” Manuel heard himself saying. Everyone turned in astonishment to stare at Manuel.”

The falling action is when the other workers look at Manual when he courageously stands up to Roberto Morales. “The two men, centered in a huge ring of red-ringed eyes, glared at each other. Reaching for each other’s jugular. The other exhausted animals studied the tableau through widening eyes. It was so unequal. Morales remained calm, confident, studying Manuel. As though memorizing his features. He had the whole advantage. Then, with his last remaining energy, Manuel lifted his foot and clumsily tipped over his own last bucket of cots. The rolled away in all directions around everyone’s feet…..”You pick them up, Guterrez.”…Manuel kicked over another bucket…..All the other pickers moved toward their own buckets still standing beside them on the ground awaiting the truck gatherer, and took an ominous position over them, straddling there own feet over them.”

The resolution of the excerpt would be when the antagonist gives into the protagonist and the protagonist is now considered a human for experiencing a certain sense of honor and pride by sticking up for his humanity. “Roberto Morales said sharply, ‘All right. All right, men. I shall take nothing this time.” …He had salvaged his money…he had earned respect from his fellow slaves…And that was---that a man counted for something…Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride. Or else they are dead before they die.”

kai.L2 said...

In the Plum Plum Pickers, Raymond Barrio suggests that the worker who is call Manuel Gutierrez work for trapped and picking fruits in the farm, the place he works. And Barrio does not describe him in normally, he uses a special way to describe Manuel in this story, he describes Manuel like an animal, because his job made him like an animal, his action, feeling and emotions are like an animal. In “ No matter which way he (Manuel) turned, he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them, neatly planted, row after row, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell.” Barrio describes Manuel was work in the farm all the day, cannot stop. He just works in the one he thought is a horrible place, just work like in the hell. This is what he thinks, what he feeling about his job. Also, Barrio uses hell to describes Manuel’s work place. That explains Manuel was work as like as an animal in the terrible place, and works like automatically. To trapped and picking fruits off the trees, collecting bucket after bucket on and on again, doesn’t have chance to stop his job.
Then, Barrio also uses one work sentences to allure readers’ attention to know those “ locked”, “animal”, “brute”, “beast”, “savage”, “wreck” and “predator” are describe Manuel likes an animal in his job, also like in works in the prison. No freedom, no own station and abused by his employer. Also, Manuel doesn’t like a normal human, he doesn’t have complained to his overseer, and doesn’t have any whine to everyone. He just work and work automatically. Until his lunchtime, he doesn’t have enough time to eat his own food, and during in his lunchtime, he already like a tried man who is so tired to eat his own food, and when he having rest and replenished some of his humor and resolve, then, he started to think his job makes him like an animal, and work in automatically, to picking fruits off the trees and neatly them row after row, to keep doing same thing again and again. Then, when he wants to goes to sleep, laying back on the ground and the his overseer, Roberto comes to calling him with swearword which is in Spanish, Barrio uses it in this part. Though Manuel was so tired, already was an exhausted body and going out his all energy in the workday, but when he heard Roberto call him to work, he goes back to work immediately finally.
Then almost at the end of the workday, Barrio starts to describe Roberto Morales, describe how is Roberto to order those workers to do their job, he was preside over to watch those worker to do their job. But when Roberto ordering those workers to do something without remorse, his bosses tells Roberto, they need to take two cents from every bucket in those workers. And they didn’t think about how is Roberto feel, his bosses didn’t care how Roberto to get two cents from them, just orders him to do that. Then Roberto to tell them, he must take two cents from them, is each person every bucket. Is must, not may, isn’t have choice to choose to give them or not, is you must have to give them, in “Now, I must take two cents from every bucket.” But he also has friendly and polite to announce to them, says, “ I am sort. There was a miscalculation. Everybody understands. Everybody?” he slid his eyes around, smiling, palms up.” Then, he waits to make sure everybody understands it and make sure no questions about this. Unawares, Manuel became a man finally, his normal human reactivity comes back and he cannot keep calm, he starts loosing his patience and yelling out, says, “You promised to take nothing!” and he heard himself to say that, and everyone turned in astonishment to stare at him, because Manuel wasn’t say that in gear. But he was yelling to say that, comes back to be a normal human causes that. Then, they glared at each other, and Roberto still remained calm, confident and studying Manuel. Then, Manuel was lifting his foot and clumsily tipped over his own last bucket of cots and they rolled away in all directions around everyone’s feet. Then Roberto was so angry says to Manuel to pick them up authoritatively. Manuel wasn’t pick them up, he was kick over another bucket, and again the fruit rolled away in all directions on the contrary.
Though Manuel was feel thrill about his nerves, because he had never won anything before, so, although he knows maybe he needs to pay that, and this is a defiance, he still wants to salvages his money savagely and he had earned respect from his fellow slaves. So, finally, he wins to against Roberto with those things.

MikeL P.2 said...

Michael Luu
Period 2
01/26/08
English 12 Cp

Men

In the Plum Plum Pickers, Raymond Barrio suggests men are not to be enslaved or controlled by others but are to act on their own thoughts. Throughout the excerpt Raymond Barrio shows viewers negative descriptions of the field where Manuel works by describing the field as a “blackest bars on the jails of hell” (40). Manuel the protagonist is controlled by Roberto Morales because of Manuel’s fear of him. Roberto Morales the antagonist uses harsh words to command the workers into whatever he urges them to do.

Raymond Barrio supports the theme by starting the excerpt in a tragic setting where Manuel has nowhere to go. “No matter what way he turned, he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever……” (Page 40) In this quote in the beginning of the excerpt Raymond Barrio shows readers that this place is an inhuman place. Barrio tells readers’ right there, that Manuel has no other job and this was his only option to find money. “He was trapped in an endless maze” this also shows viewers that the life of Manuel is revolved around working in awful conditions, and that he has nowhere else to work he’s a slave. Also in the beginning of the story Raymond Barrio uses one word sentences, these one word sentence would be a description of Manuel’s life. The words that Barrio chose were: locked, animal, brute, beast, savage, wreck and predator. All these words were to describe the struggle that Manuel is facing. Raymond Barrio also uses a metaphor “Neat rows of them, neatly planted, row after row, just like the blackest bar on the jails of hell” (page 40) in this quote Raymond Barrio says the field where Manuel has to pick endless amounts of apricots is similar to being imprisoned. Manuel is in a position where he fears Roberto Morales because he is the commander the group. Raymond Barrio uses another technique which is repetition of words. “There had to be an end. There had to be. There trapped. There had to be a way out. Locked. There had to be respite.” (Page 40) This is significant because it’s a resemblance of his life how his life is repetitive also. In the second paragraph there’s another repetition on word which also is similar to his life; “The endlessly unending pilling up of bucket upon box upon create upon stack upon rack upon mound upon mountain.” (Page 40) Towards the end of the second paragraph Raymond Barrio foreshadows when he say; “He blacked out luckily he’d been leaning against a heavy branch. His feet hooked to the ladder’s rung. His half-filled bucket slipped from his grasp and fell in slow motion, splattering the fruit he’d so laboriously picked.” (Page 40) Since the bucket spilled and all the fruits scattered everywhere, Barrio is foreshadowing at the end of the excerpt.

The rising action of the excerpt is when the antagonist is introduced into the story Roberto Morales. Before everything Raymond Barrio describes Roberto Morales: “His feet straddled. Mexican style. A real robber. A Mexican general. A gentlemanly, friendly, polite grinning, vicious, thieving brute. The worst kind. To his own people. Despite his being a fellow Mexican, despite his torn, old clothing, everyone knew what kind of clever criminal he was. Despite his crude, ignorant manner, showing that he was one of them” (Page 40) Raymond Barrio creates a tone of anger and hatred toward Roberto Morales. Barrio uses numerous adjectives to describe Roberto Morales since he is the antagonist. Roberto Morales personality described by Barrio are cruel, hated and etc. these are all traits for an antagonist.

The climax of this excerpt is when Morales ask every single fruit picker to give him two cent from every bucket. By giving everyone two cents out of each bucket, which would be a loss of two to three dollars out of each picker’s pay. But Manuel disagreed with the command from Morales, what he did was he kicked over his bucket so that everything that was picked and rolled in every direction. “He had the whole advantage. Then, with his last remaining energy, Manuel lifted his foot and clumsily tipped over his own last bucket of cots. They rolled away in all directions around everyone’s feet.” (Page 41) Manuel couldn’t handle the fear for Morales anymore and he defended himself by tipping his own bucket over so that Morales wouldn’t be able to take two cents from his cots. Raymond in the climax suggest that human shouldn’t be controlled by other humans and defend what they think is right. “Roberto Morales’ eyes blazed. His fist clenched. ‘You pick them up Gutierrez.’” “So. He knew his name. After all. For answer. For answer, Manuel kicked over another bucket, and again the fruit rolled in all directions.” (Page 41) Morales then commanded Manuel to pick up the fruits but Manuel not only refused he kicked over another bucket. Manuel fought what he thought was right but not only that but he fought for respect.

Finally Raymond Barrio comes to the resolution. “All the other pickers moved towards their own buckets still standing beside them on the ground awaiting the truck gatherer, took an ominous position over them, straddling their feet over them. Without look around, without taking his eyes off Manuel Roberto Morales said ‘all right. All right, men I shall take nothing this time.’”(Page 41) Manuel fighting for his pride and dignity has gotten the respect and influenced the other pickers to boycott the demand for money from Morales. “Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride.” According to this quote Raymond is saying that men are to not be controlled by others but are controlled by ourselves.

Jesse L. 2 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jesse L. 2 said...

Jesse Lai
Period 2
1/26/08
Men Own Contratistas

In the Plum Plum Pickers, Raymond Barrio divides his novel into certain passages, suggesting that men are born with freedom and independence, not to be enslaved and commanded by people. He uses the protagonist, Manuel Gutierrez’s, fear to show how he is not able to express his own thoughts and emotions towards the antagonist, Roberto Morales. Manuel is controlled by fear from Roberto Morales’ because as a contratista, he uses cruel and harsh commanding as a tactic to drive him and the other workers to pick endless amounts of apricots.

Raymond Barrio first starts off the novel with an exposition that describes the setting. It is “an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them” (40). The setting is used to develop an important theme that would flow throughout the entire novel. In this case, it describes how Manuel Gutierrez and other workers are imprisoned in an endless amount of apricots. When they are imprisoned, they can’t act own their own and are controlled by Roberto’s actions. The apricot field is treated as a prison due to “the blackest bars of hell” (40), with no where to run nor hide. This is very crucial to Manuel himself because he experiences only terror, agony, and fear. When Raymond Barrio uses the one-sentences, such as “locked” (40) and “animal” (40), it shows intimidation to Manuel and the workers because their minds are focused only on escape for their own survival, which is impossible because of Roberto’s intelligent, fearful commanding. With this much said, Manuel is not able to develop his own character that he desires the most, which is being a freed man. This foreshadows to conflicts erupting, which he and Roberto experience frequently from their approaches.

The conflict between Roberto and Manuel develops into rising action when they first approached each other during work. It started when “his half-filled bucket slipped from his grasp and fell in slow motion, splattering the fruit he’d so laboriously picked. To the ground” (40). The hard labor that Manuel contributed to is wasted by his clumsy and lazy character. A man is strong and intelligent, which doesn’t fit to what he did. This leads to Roberto being engulfed in rage, scolding at him by saying, “Whatsa matter, can’t see straight, pendejo” (40). He doesn’t treat Roberto’s clumsiness as a mistake, but more of an incident that is similar to where there are serious consequences. It is very critical to commit something that can’t be fixed, which what Manuel did to his apricots. The endless amount of time that he spends to pick the apricots has all gone to waste because he can’t get time back. However, he treats it as a mistake because he believes it is not the end of the world and can be fixed by picking the apricots over again. Manuel’s good character can’t change Roberto’s thoughts and control of his men, which is how their conflict won’t change.

The turning point, or climax, between Roberto and Manuel occurs when Roberto announces that he “must take two cents from every bucket” (41). He is giving debt towards his workers due to a “miscalculation” (41), which is very critical because Roberto is earning more while the workers are earning less. This means that they all would be in debt, which shows how he is sneaky and sly because he is outsmarting his workers by using their exhaustion from hard labor to agree from his sayings. He expresses so when “he slid his eyes around, smiling, palms up” (41). However, Manuel is more intelligent than Roberto because he knows what he is up to. Therefore, he decides to take action and correct him by “lifted his foot and clumsily tipped over his own last bucket of cots” (41). When he does so, Roberto erupts with rage by fiercely commanding him to “pick them up, Gutierrez” (41). This leads every worker, including Manuel, to kick their buckets of apricots because they are awaken from Roberto’s control, making them act on their own. They are all men for having to do this because they are independent and freed when Roberto “shall take nothing this time” (41). When he says this, a resolution takes place because Roberto’s command is sedated by the workers, and they are finally released from the imprisonment that they experienced. This expresses their true character of a man, which they all are after they defeated the cruel contratista. They feel proud for what they have done, which is why each of the workers, including Manuel, will be successful as men.

In order for Raymond Barrio to have a successful novel, he must develop an exposition that includes characters and setting, a rising action that develops the conflict, the climax that indicates the turning point of the conflict, and the resolution of that conflict. He does so by using two characters, Manuel and Roberto, who despise each other in the way they act. First, he introduces the setting as a prison-like environment with the arrangement of apricots. Next, Raymond develops the conflict by having them confront each other with a rude manner. Then, he takes a turning point in the conflict when Manuel is enraged by Roberto’s scheme. Finally, he takes the resolution of the conflict to develop a theme. Men are born to be equal, not to be controlled by other individuals who would use others for their own benefits.

Unknown said...

Dennis Chen 1-27-08
English Prd 2


Plum Plum Pickers Explication


In the passage, He was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them, neatly planted, row after row, just like the blackest bar on the hails of hell. The author Raymond Barrio suggests that a man could choice to be a prisoner of somebody, or he can be a leader of somebody, or he can be a free man and not have to deal with being or ordering people around and he can change thing the world. But that’s not how to story goes because right now Manuel is a worker/slave for this guy name Roberto Morales, he owns this business where he has people picking fruits up for him.

In the exposition of this story is Raymond establishes his point using a bunch of things such as word choices. He uses words like Brute, Beast, Savage, and Wreck, so he can explain to us what people are like in this maze of apricot trees and Raymond uses some more one word sentences later on the story also. Raymond uses loads of literary techniques like imagery, personification, similes and the one word sentences mostly through the whole story. He uses imagery like “endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them” and that connects to an imagery like “blackest bars on the jails of hell” it connects because jail is like a neat row of cells for inmates. Raymond also uses personification explaining how Manuel’s shirt was “powder dry” because of the suns heat theirs a bunch of those in the story. He uses similes to like telling us how Manuel is “munched his cheese with tortillas.” The author puts in a lot of this because it tells us lots of things about Manuel and what he is feeling and also doing. Now he Raymond puts in the one word sentences because it shows that the character is exhausted and beat. Tells us that he’s a brute, beast, savage and more, because it’s showing us that he is probably one because he’s doing the best out of all the other workers.

In the rising action the author starts to make things a bit more exciting. So Raymond makes Roberto bring trouble around the workers because Roberto is the owner of the place and he has the power to do anything. So Roberto tells all the pickers that he is going to take money from them today, but Manuel was rebelling against him because Manuel got a family at home to feed so now he is telling him that Roberto promised that he wouldn’t take anything from them. Roberto thought about it and then decided not to take anything. The author resolves his point on this part is by making Roberto Morales not take anything from the people that he has working for him. Raymond uses two literary techniques in this passage, one of the techniques are imagery “The two men, centered in a huge ring of red-ringed eyes, glared at each other. Reaching for each other’s jugular.” The other technique he uses was personification, “The other exhausted animals studied the tableau through widening eyes. This passage fits into the next nicely because this how everything starting getting up towards the action which will then be the climax.

In the climax Roberto and Manuel are looking at each other and all the other pickers are just standing by the side watching both of them glaring at each other waiting for something to happen. Manuel was calm, confident and studying Roberto’s features until then Manuel just kicking buckets full of fruit to show that Manuel isn’t going to take anything from anyone from then on. The author establishes his point in this passage by using literary technique imagery. “Roberto Morales’s eyes blazed. His fists clenched.” After he kicked the buckets the other workers around him walked towards their own buckets because they know that Manuel was the best picker out of them all so they waited by the side for the trucker to come and take the fruit baskets away. Now Roberto is thinking about what he wants to do, and even though Roberto is making his own people do his dirty work he doesn’t really feel bad but now thinking about it he decided not to take anything from anybody. This fits into the passage because if this passage wasn’t in the story then their wouldn’t of been a confusing ending.

Now in the falling action and resolution Manuel felt a thrill of power because he had told the owner of the place that he isn’t going to take anything from anybody. But now later on in the story anything could happen just because he had told off the boss, he might even get paid less, get fired, or even maybe more work on him then the other workers. But now he had earned his respect from the other workers, but now he knows that he can get food for his children. The author establishes his point by making Manuel discover a story that somebody in the same exact place do the same thing he just did. So now Manuel knows that he himself did something right for the rights of men and they can change things around the area they are born and raised. This fits the text because now he had changed things around so people won’t need to live a bad life.

Heather M Per.2 said...

Heather MacGregor
Per: 2
1-25-07


Plum Plum Pickers





In the last passage of the story Plum Plum Pickers, the author Raymond Barrio suggests that men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride or else they are dead before they die. Barrio also suggests that men are human and are meant to explore and experience life. A repetitive life is not a life for a man. Barrio uses figurative language, tone, and literary imagery to communicate this point to us throughout the story. He chooses to use one word sentences which is one example of how he uses figurative language. The words and sentences he chooses for his characters is an example of tone and his imagery is everywhere in the story. In this passage Manuel the main character talks about defiance and how even though he would have to pay for it later it made him feel good, like a man.

The rising action begins when Roberto Morales enters the story in paragraph 3. In this passage Manuel eats and then takes a short rest. He then gets back to work picking cots from the trees and blacks out, as he is waking up his boss Morales walks by and says” Whatsamatter, can’t you see straight pendejo.” In this passage Barrio uses a lot of imagery to get his point across and to help lead us up to the climax. Briarly branches, scratching leaves, twigs tearing at his shirt sleeves are all examples of imagery that help us to picture more of what’s going on in the story. Munched his cheese with tortillas, smoked on ashes, lay back on the cool ground are also examples of imagery. These words and descriptions help us picture and understand exactly what Barrio is doing. In the next paragraph Barrio uses imagery to explain the climate and Mexico. “The summer’s fierce zenith passed overhead. It passed. Then dropped. It started to light the ocean behind him, back of the hills. Sandy dreams. Cool nights. Cold drinks…..His fingers burned. His arms flailed in the innocent trees…The whistle blew.” This type of literary imagery in the story gives us mental pictures in our head.

The climax is the highest point of the story. The climax begins when Morales the Antagonist and Manuel the protagonist of the story begin to fight. Morales tries to cheat all the cot pickers of two cents from every bucket which meant two or three dollars after he promised he would not do this.
Morales-“I said two cents, hombre. You got a problem or what?” Manuel-“You promised.”
Manuel then kicks over one of his buckets of cots. “You pick them up, Gutierrez.” Morales tells him to pick them up but Manuel refuses and kicks over another bucket. Then to Manuel’s astonishment all the other cot pickers take an ominous position over their buckets also threatening to kick them over. Morales knows he is defeated and says “All right. All right, men. I shall take nothing this time.” The phrases Barrio has his characters use and the way they say them is the one of the story. By making the characters talk in this way we know they are mad and that the action is building up. Barrio also uses imagery in this passage to. Fists clenched, straddling their feet over them. This passage is also the falling action of the story. The falling action is the events that follow the climax of a story. At the beginning of the passage it starts out as the climax when the fight begins and as it goes on and ends it becomes the falling action.


The resolution of the story is the end result. Manuel knows that he will have to pay for his defiance and may be punished or worse but he feels better that he is left with his pride and that he did not let someone cheat him out of his hard earned money. Manuel is happy that he saved his money and earned respect from his fellow slaves. In the resolution Barrio also uses imagery. Wrenched Morales greedy fingers away and removed a fat slug of a purse from his sticky grasp. This is also an example of figurative language. By choosing certain words like sticky and wrenched he makes the sentence mean more and stick out. Manuel felt a thrill of power course through his nerves. This is another example of imagery. Barrio makes Manuel’s tone in this paragraph is joyous yet definite. He is happy about what he has just done but is also assured it was the right thing to do and has no regrets. This is when Manuel decides that this is how a man should feel not scared and pride less but full of pride wanting to live life.

Throughout the whole story Barrio uses different techniques to get his point of what it is to be a man across. He begins at the beginning of the story and builds up to it throughout the whole thing. He uses tone, imagery and figurative language to get his theme across which is what its like to be a man. His theme is his own definition of a man which is that they should have honor and pride. The dictionary definition for a man is an adult male person. This is not Barrios definition. He thinks a man is so much more than that; all humans are so much more than that. Barrio in his own way points out to us that in order to be human you must experience life or else you are not actually living and you are already dead before you die.

Yan X.2 said...

Yan Fang Xie
per.2
Due 1/28/07


The Plum Plum Picker by Raymond Barrio

In the excerpt “The Plum Plum Pickers” the author Raymond Barrio using Manuel’s defiance for Roberto Morales toke two cents from every bucker, to suggests that people have to try to challenge some thing news and men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride.

In the first part of the excerpt, Raymond Barrio uses some stylistic techniques by using one word sentences and one word to begin and end the paragraph; it’s like the sub-title of each paragraph. At the first paragraph, the author uses many verbs and adjective to describe the specifics the setting and how hard they worked. The author uses one word for a sentence to give the attention and impression about the pickers. Raymond tried to bring the readers directly into the story. In the first three paragraphs shows the pickers worked from the morning to the end of the day clearly, because the author uses the time phrases for single line. For the first paragraph, Manuel worked so hard in the hot dry summer time. For all the verbs and adjective specially ‘exhausted’, ‘brute’, can image how they work outside under the sum. At the second paragraph describe Manuel didn’t waste every minuet for the break time to take rest. He has to take the rest to get back to energy to work. Just by reading the first two paragraphs, it shows this job is an easy job and is not every one can do it.

Roberto Morales told the pickers he will take two cents form every bucket that means every one loss two or three dollars for the day pay after they almost done, because Roberto had the upper hand. The power of Roberto is not because he did great job or hard working, it just because he had upper hand, it shows that many people need to have some things to support them to do it so they could have the confidents. Manuel can’t keep his temper, because he worked so hard to make the money and Roberto didn’t do any work except to sit. Then money is Manuel’s support, so he stand out and defiance. The author made the name of Manuel with lots meaningful, it can mean stand out for man and save life. It’s reflecting to the story when Manuel stands out to reject Roberto. Manuel’s defiance also brings up other men. Manuel still felt nerves but he knew that he had to continue to get the final result.

For the last two sentences “men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride, or else they are dead before they die.” It’s very true fact about human life; it’s not just for men. We have to explore our life to try something new, or challenge ourselves because never knew the result if not cross the line. Many people keep doing the same route everyday, mechanically, insensibly. The author Raymond Barrio tells every body should have a certain sense of honor and pride, and never limit ourselves.

Diana B2 said...

Human

In this story Plum Plum Pickers Manuel is a Mexican plum picker in a field with other fellow Mexican pickers trying to meet ends meat for their family. The author Roberto Barrias suggests that to be human is standing up for one’s self. It’s this sense of pride that finally makes him realize what it is to be human. He establishes this point thought figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. In the explication the author Roberto Barrias establishes his point through word choice and imagery. He used one-worded sentences to have them stick out to the reader. He also uses imagery to create a scenery of imprisonment. In the rising action the author establishes his point through figurative language. He does this by describing Roberto to having animal like features. In the climax the author establishes his point through symbolism. He does his by comparing Manuel to Jesus Christ. In the falling action the author establishes his point through figurative language and tone. He does this by comparing the way Roberto stood in the beginning of the passage and how other pickers would now do the same now. Showing no respect and no sign of authority. The tone is now relaxed. In the last part of the passage the author establishes his point by comparing Manuel to Don Casper. He does this because he wanted to show the connection between both men. How both men didn’t give up on their people.

In the beginning of this passage the author Roberto Barrias establishes his point through word choice and imagery. “He was trapped though this endless Maze of apricot trees.” Line 1 He uses the word trapped to represent how he feels as an animal. “Just like the blackest bars on the jail of hell.” Roberto feels he is in jail surrounded and blocked by these Apricot trees. He uses one worded sentences to establish his point as well. He does this because he wants there words to stick out. To be human means to be like an animal to him in the beginning of this passage. “Animal” “Beast” “Brute” all these words mean the same. He wants to emphasize the word animal because this is how he felt. He didn’t feel like a human he felt and worked like an animal. “Wrecked”. He feels tired of doing this job. “To replenish his brute cells and animal pores and stinking follicles and pig gristle, a truly refined wreck of an animal, please to meetcha. Predator.”

The rising action begins when the antagonist Roberto walks into the story. “His feet straddled”. The author uses this figurative language to establish the point that Roberto wasn’t human at all but just another animal. Animals don’t walk were their “feet” together; they walk were their “feet” straddled. He felt that there was no authority he had to stand up straight for or show respect. “A real robber.” A robber who was stealing from the family of Manuel and his fellow pickers. “A Mexican general.” The boss of all Mexicans. “A gentlemanly, friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, thieving brute.” The author first starts off talking good about the character Roberto but then starts slowly using one-worded words to describe the true Roberto. He does this to show his readers what Manuel felt when looking at this man. Manuel had all these thoughts racing through his head. Roberto was a good man because he had given his fellow Mexican a job. But was a horrible man for robbing from them as well. “Thieving brute.” An animal just like the rest, but a thief to his own people.

The climax of this passage is when Roberto and Manuel start to have a verbal argument. It starts after Manuel lashed back at Roberto for taking the two cents from each bucket. “You promised to take nothing!” “Manuel heard himself saying. “Everyone turned in astonishment to stare at Manuel”. Everyone was astonished because finally someone had the guts to stand up to Roberto. Everyone knew what he was doing was wrong but no one would dare risk everything. It was much more to Manuel not only risking loosing his job but he was threatening the health and survival of his family. The author Roberto Barrias suggests that to be human is standing up for one’s self, he does this through Symbolism. In the bible Manuel is used many times. Manuel is represented in this passage as a savior for his people. Not only was he doing this for himself but for his people who were too scared to say a word. Jesus Christ in the bible stood up to the Jews for what he believed in and knew what was right, even if it meant death. “The two men, centered in a huge ring of red-ringed eyes.” The author goes back to both men being an animal. “Centered in a huge ring” As if this fight was set by someone higher of power to challenge Manuel’s worth to his people. “The other exhausted animals studied the tableu through widening eyes. It was so unequal.” Each “animal” studied each other’s features and watched carefully to see what the other dared to do. When Manuel kicked over the buckets this was his first victory. He had regained pride and dignity.

The falling action occurs right after the other pickers move toward their own buckets and stand over them. His people were threatening to kick over their own buckets and if they did so Roberto would loose a lot of money. When Roberto finally says “All right. All right men. I shall take nothing this time.” Manuel knew he had won and the fight for being a human was over. “Straddling their feet over them.” In the beginning of the passage the author when introducing Roberto describes him as straddling his feet. At this point in the passage Roberto is no longer a boss to his people. Roberto is doing what it takes to survive just like them. The roles have changes, because before his people wouldn’t stick up for themselves in the risk of loosing everything. But if it means not taking two cents from each bucket to not loose everything he’ll do it. The author establishes what it means to be human through his tone. The tone now is much more calm. The tone of the story changes from having high tension to relief. Manuel is no longer an animal. The character Manuel is finally now a human.

The resolution is when Manuel finally gets this sense of pride and dignity for himself and for his people. He is proud that he didn’t let his “robber” Roberto cheat him and his fellow people from them and their families. That he risked everything for something he knew was right. Even if it meant risking his families survival he knew that he wouldn’t be human until he had stood up for what he knew in his heart was right. “ Manuel had made an extraordinary discovery, as Dan Gaspar had also made two centuries before, in almost exactly the same spot.” Dan Gapar was a solider, explorer, governor who founded San diego and Monterey. He had served as a soldier in the Spanish army of Italy and Portugal. In 1768, he volunteered to lead an expedition planned by the Spanish Inspector General. The difficult journeys had taken a rigorous six months and they had tried the expedition again to try to find the Monterey. The author establishes his point through symbolism. Like Manuel he led his people through something he knew would be tough. But he didn’t give up on his people, because what it means to be human means to fight for what you really want and never give up. “Or else they are dead before they die” If they were to give up they would give up on themselves. A suicidal act before death. Throughout the story the author Roberto Barrias establishes his point that to be human means to have pride and to stand up for one’s self. Manuel finally realizes what it is to be human when he stands up for his people and wins.

david b2 said...

David Bosari
1-28-08
Period 2 "Plum Plum Pickers" Explication



In the passage Plum Plum Pickers, the author Raymond Barrio Suggests that man is not a true man if he himself does not fight for what is truly his. Raymond Barrio shows this through the struggle between Manuel's job and Raymond. He feels that man should experience life, it's features and all it has to offer whether tough or easy. Manuel who is seen as the protagonist in the story has a job picking fruit off of trees. Roberto the antagonist is the job overseer, and makes sure everyone follows his rules and demands. As the story progresses you come to the conclusion that Roberto takes money from every ones checks at the job. This shows Roberto as a problem and also a down fall. Manuel represents mankind and it's work.
In the exposition of the short story "Plum Plum Pickers" the author Raymond Barrio uses many different literary techniques. For example he uses many short sentences along with symbols, and imagery not just in the exposition but throughout the story. As Raymond Barrio uses his one word sentences like " animal, brute, locked and wreck" he not only confuses the reader but he brings the reading to a much slower paced speed. The slowness and pausing in these single word sentences can be ways to describe Raymond Barrios emotions. Also by using the one word sentences Raymond Barrio shows the reader how Manuel is feeling. The one word sentences can show him as an exhausted feeling, then when Raymond Barrio describes Manuel as being trapped this represents Manuel as a locked animal. As Manuel wants to get out of being trapped, Bario shows this by repeating that Manuel wants "to get out and wants a break.
As the exposition progresses Raymond Barrio gives the reader a better sense of the setting of "Plum Plum Pickers" Raymond Barrios also deletes the idea of using one word sentences during the end of the exposition.
+
The rising action begins in “Plum Plum Pickers” when Roberto Morales gets mentioned. Manuel is shown to have problems with Roberto Morales and once them to collide this brings about the rising action. Raymond Barrio describes Roberto Morales once Roberto is introduced. “ His feet straddled. Mexican style. A real robber. A Mexican general. A gentlemanly, friendly, polite grinning, vicious, thieving brute. The worst kind. To his own people. Despite his being a fellow Mexican, despite his torn, old clothing, everyone knew what kind of clever criminal he was. Despite his crude, ignorant manner, showing that he was one of them” (Pg40). This is shown as a way Raymond Barrio describes Roberto Morales when he enters the scene. This shows how Raymond Barrio describe s the characters and in this case it would be through his word choices. Raymond Barrio uses many adjectives to describe Roberto Morales and he sets a strong hatred, and deceiving tone towards him.
The climax of “Plum Plum Pickers” is when Roberto Morales asks every fruit picker for two cents from each bucket. This shows
that everyone was scared to say something to Roberto Morales because he has the upper hand and no one wants to risk everything they got including their job.
Raymond Barrio shows this by symbolizing it. Basically saying to become a man you have to stick up for one self and believe what is right. The one person who
sticks up for himself is Manuel who kicks over the bucket of fruits and yells at Roberto Morales " You promised to take nothing!” This shows the other workers to stick up for yourself and also to believe in whats right. Due to Manuels actions this leads to all the workers kicking the buckets and sticking up for themselves.
So at the end Roberto Morales knows that Manuel stuck up for himself and won the battle. Roberto Morales not only lost to Manuel but all of the other workers. The reason for the other workers was due to Manuel's courage and bravery to stick up for himself and to become a man.


Raymond Barrio finally comes to the resolution. The resolution is basically Manuel sticking up for himself to Roberto Morales and his co-workers
following in his footsteps and becoming men and the choices men choose and have to live with whether regret is there. The quote Raymond Barrio sas " That a man
counted for something, For men, Manuel dimly suspected, are built for something more important and less trifling than the mere gathering of prunes and apricots,
hour upon hour, decade upon decade, insensibly, mechanically, antlike, Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride. Or else they are dead before they die.” This shows what Raymond Barrio feels deep down inside and what he is expressing about what men go through in their life and the obstacles and challenges that men face in an everyday life. When he sas "Or else they are dead before they die" Raymond Barrio is basically saying If men dont stick up for their rights during their lifetime their going to have no confidence in themselves and will never be able to feel how a real man is suppose to feel. Without the fight by Manuel and his co-workers to Roberto Morales, Roberto would of kept on doing what he is doing and felt he could get over on them but by sticking up for themselves Roberto witnessed that Manuel and the co-workers turned into men and faced the obstacles that men face.

david b2 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Tony Seng said...

In the passage of The Plum Plum Pickers, the author Raymond Barrio suggests that there are animalistic qualities in humans. In the excerpt he describes a character named Manuel who opens up his inner thoughts as he continues his labor. Manuel, being the animal that he is, believes that he should stand up for what is right on his own instead of waiting for others to do it for him.

Manuel’s job was like a prison full of slaves, and each person there had no other skill but to pick fruits for someone else to eat. Manuel works for Roberto Morales, who is the overseer or the supervisor of the group who picks fruits. Roberto Morales is a rude person who was hired by güeros. “So the anglo growers and the güero executives, smiling in their cool filtered offices, puffing their elegant thin cigars, washed their clean bloodless dirtless hands of the whole matter. All they did was hire Roberto Morales. Firm fair and square.” (Pg 40) Güeros are people of light skinned characteristics, which could possibly mean American people. So these American people are the owners and they run the business and they hired Roberto Morales to watch over the workers. Yet he ended up as the rudest supervisor.

The workers on the plantation of apricot trees were like animals, even Manuel. When people are in a jail cell they tend to lose control of themselves or they act much different than what they are usually. In the passage the apricot trees set up the scene as a jail cell with the tree trunks as bars in the cell. “No matter which way he turned, he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them, neatly planted row after row, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell.” Explains that his work is compared to hell. (pg 40) “Locked. Animal. Brute. Beast. Savage. Wreck. Predator.”(Pg. 40) Describes how the work environment affected Manuel and how it was there.

Raymond Barrio shows how men are equal no matter what sort of wealth or position you are in. During the last few sections Manuel tests Roberto Morales by tipping over his buckets of fruit, which probably took awhile to get. Roberto switches his mind about taking money from the workers, because he was afraid they would all rebel and toss their own buckets away. “All the other pickers moved toward their own buckets still standing beside them on the ground awaiting the truck gatherer, and took an ominous position over them, straddling their feet over them. Without looking around, without taking his eyes off Manuel, Roberto Morales sharply said, “All right, All right, men. I shall take nothing this time.” Shows that not only were the workers scared of Roberto Morales, but he was also scared of them. So you could push another human so far that they would fight back eventually. Such as an animal, it tends to be the smaller animal scared of the bigger one, but you can have a herd of animals after one big single animal: therefore it evens out in power.

Manuel believes that men are to not be doubted but to be proud in life or have some pride in them in order to live on with honor. “For men, Manuel dimly suspected, are built for something more important and less trifling than the mere gathering of prunes and apricots, hour upon hour, decade upon decade, insensibly, mechanically, antlike,. Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor or pride. Or else they are dead before they die.” (Pg 41) In this case Raymond Barrio is suggesting that if men don’t complete a task that is most memorable and wanting then they can’t live life normal or perfect, unless they finish that goal. So therefore they live dead, or lifeless. When you are dead you are not noticed anymore, you don’t have a life to live for: but for Manuel, he completed a big accomplishment showing that he has the courage to stand up for his rights.
In conclusion, Raymond Barrio is trying to explain that all men should experience something good in life, because that is how men should be. If they don’t fit in the same category as Raymond wants them to be, then they are lifeless and have no point in moving on. He believes that men should stand up for themselves because at most, men are equal or at least built equally in power.

Nada.A 2~.~ said...

In the passage where Manuel stands up to Morales, the author Raymond Barrio suggests that Manuel is a guide to life, and is an example for the other slaves. The author establishes this point by using symbolism. Manuel’s name itself means “guide” as in “a guide to life”. Manuel’s name also has the word “man” in it. In the excerpt it says: “Morales remained calm, confident, studying Manuel”. It is as if Morales is studying Manuel, like a guide to life. Manuel is somehow portrayed as a type of guidance. Then it says in the excerpt: “as though memorizing his features”. Morales is observing Manuel closely as if learning from Manuel’s actions. Then Barrio says: “He had the whole advantage”. As if suggesting that Morales still had a chance to fight Manuel back, before he says something to him. Barrio was trying to say that because Morales was observing him closely, he still had a chance to find Manuel’s weaknesses.


Barrio uses imagery in the first passage to show how trapped and repetitive Manuel’s life is. In the beginning of the first passage he says: “just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell”. So not only is he trapped, he is trapped by the “blackest” bars. The bars of jail are already black. How could they be darker or any worse? He’s not only trapped, he’s trapped and very hot from the sun, because he said: “on the jails of hell”. Then later in the excerpt when Manuel drinks water, Barrio says that he drank “the holy water”, not just any water. The author used the word “holy” to show how valuable and sacred the water was to him. Then he says: “…in great brute gulps so he wouldn’t have to savor its tastelessness,” The author used the word “brute” to describe how Manuel drank the water with strength. Then he says how Manuel drank it in gulps so as in not to savor, have pleasure with its flavor, or enjoy drinking the water, so he wouldn’t want it again.


Barrio also establishes of how hard life is for Manuel through the use of imagery, in the beginning of the second passage, where Manuel is having lunch. The passage starts with “almost too exhausted to eat”. Food is supposed to be a source of energy. That alone shows what Manuel goes through, because how can someone be too tired to eat? Then it says in the passage: “he felt his spirit swell out again like a thirsty sponge in water.” In that sentence the author used words to establish his point, that Manuel was feeling better because water symbolizes the giving of life, and healing a person. Then he says “a ray of enemy sun penetrated the tree that was hiding him”. The word “penetrated” means to pierce, and he also said the “enemy sun” and the sun is the enemy because the sun evaporates water, so that showed how Manuel was in pain again. So, the piercing of the sun was used to show how much pain Manuel was in, because then it says: “…and split his head open” the pain of the sun hurt his head so bad, just like it pierce through the water till it evaporates.

In the last passage, Barrio defines Manuel’s character through his actions. In the last passage Manuel stands up to his boss to not take their money, and he wins. In that excerpt, the author sets up Manuel as an example to his fellow slaves to follow his example. Manuel to them was supposed to be the definition of what “man” is supposed to be. Manuel, the “guide to life”, stood up against Morales, Morales has the word “moral” in it, and moral means belief. So Morales stood up to his belief that “a man counted for something.” Manuel is also portrayed as Jesus, because they both suffered. They both stood up to what they believed in, and then won. They both gained the “sense of honor and pride” that men are supposed to experience.


The themes in these passages that repeat throughout the story, is the fact that Manuel is not human and has no life. Barrio establishes that point in the first passage by showing that Manuel was trapped in work. He showed that in the excerpt by saying: “just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell”. In the second passage Barrio establishes the point that Manuel is not human because of the way he was drinking the water. In that passage he was described as brute and brute is a description used for a beast. Not human. But at the end, Barrio set us up to show Manuel accomplishing something, and by defining the meaning of his name. He showed his fellow slaves that man is built to experience, explore, or else they are dead before they die.

Guy O2 said...

In the passage “Men are built to experience a certain since of honor and pride or else they are dead before they die,” the author, Raymond Barrio, suggest that life ends when one cannot stand up for themselves .The meaning of the passage is that everyone has the right to stand up for their self and they have a voice in a situation that compromises their life. It is also important to protect what you believe is right or wrong. It is also equally important to stand up for yourself when someone is doing something bad to you. Manuel, the crop harvester, displays this act of courage and uses his voice when his boss tries to deduct money from his pay.
The author use dialog in this excerpt to display Emanuel’s angry and outrage towards his boss. He is trap in this struggling to maintain control in his financial status. Having a confrontation with his boss was the last resort. He seemed to be mad angry in he have no way out and its hot that his ‘’shirt was powder dry’’ I guest this is the way his work place was describe . Well what the author is trying to say are what the point of living is if you got nothing to stand or fight or it’s having no plain or a future and it will feel like people run your life.
This passage is about this guy that was a plum plum picker and the work was very hard it is very hot so ho that your shirt is powder dry, and there’s a bad boss that didn’t even ask but take money from all the workers and it was just wrong what he was doing and no one said anything to him about what he was doing. Until one Manuel stood up to him and tell him what he was doing is wrong and get his money back and every other slave was proud of him like the mention in the last paragraph.
This passage is important because all over the world people are doing the same thing that the boss did take money from your hard work cause you’re a different person cause they no that you not going to do nothing a bout it . and also to be a man to stand up fore your self if you feel or you no someone is doing something wrong to you to speak up or ask fore help.
The big change I the passage is when Manuel decided to stand up to his boss in tell him to stop what he was doing is not fair to him in to other people to take their money in not making it Clair to the other workers and Manuel fought for that and that was the shift the changing point in the story
The underlying theme is don’t let people take you for granted. You deserve the fruit of your labor. You work hard for it and do nothing about it will leave you feeling down. Manuel stands up for him self at the end of the story and got the money he deserve. This shows that every one has a voice and utilizing it is the key outcome of a change or result in the situation.

SoloDolo1025 said...

In the excerpt from the novel Plum Plum Pickers by Raymond Barrio, Barrio suggests that without honor and pride a man can not live. The story is based on a character name Manuel. He is a poor apricot picker, and he does not enjoy his job. He does because he has to not because he wants to. He shows everybody at the end of the story even though he is treated like a beast he can amount to something.
In the exposition, Barrio suggests how Manuel is trapped in the garden. Barrio writes: “He is trapped in an endless maze….” Manuel is trapped in a maze in which he can’t get out. He only does because he needs the money but at the same time he wants to leave. Everyday he works he can not wait until the day is over. It is like a routine everyday, look for fruit pick, the nicest ones and goes home and gets paid, and it’s not even enough to live on.
Manuel also feels trapped in a prison. Barrio writes: “… row after row, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell.” He feels like he is in jail because he does the same thing everyday. Also he is trapped and he can not go anywhere, because he has to do the job to survive. He is wretched and can not really do anything about, because he needs the money. That’s why he ends up fighting for his money and that is where the theme comes from.
Roberto Morales is the antagonist of the story. He is a Mexican man just like the rest of the workers but he is better off and he shows that off. He is the boss of the pickers and he is described as a traitor to his people. He was hired by the government, but they do not really pay attention to how he does his job. So, sometimes he cheats the workers out of their money. The workers are mad, but they never say anything because they are scared of Morales.
When Roberto Morales asks the men for two cents each they all are willing to let him have it. Manuel was not and found himself standing up for himself. He himself was shocked that he even said anything, but he did. Morales did not care and was still going to take their money, but when Manuel tipped his bucket over the others followed. For the first time in Manuel’s life he felt like a leader. Morales was not happy because all his fruit was on the floor, but he allowed it. After that Morales promised Manuel reprisal.
Manuel is proud and he believes he deserves his money. He remembers in his mind that with out pride or honor he is nothing, and he feels accomplished.

Anh C2 said...

Plum Plum Pickers

In Plum Plum Pickers, the author, Raymond Barriro suggests that all man are “dead before they die” if he does not experience pride. Throughout the history of writing, pride is man’s vice and virtue. Through Plum Plum Pickers, by justification, explains the rise and fall of pride. In explaining the waves of pride, the author also shows conflict and through that conflict, the force against pride, all is then worthwhile. He then finishes with disagreeing with himself and believes pride is not of importance. Pride builds up to a final moment before it drops.

In the exposition while Manuel is working, he notices the “crates kept piling up higher.” Pride here is compared to the crates hand pick by the workers. Each crate represents the proud feeling of having accomplished something and moving on to the next. With each crate done, another pile on eventually the day’s work is finish. The height of pride is representing the top of the pile of crates. Man feels this proud work but “lay back down on the cool ground” as if man has fallen. From the fall starts a new rise in the feeling. “Then came up again” “piling up” repetitively the author gives the image man’s pride always growing and crashing. The author writes “zenith” meaning the highest point, in showing the readers how Manuel will feel in the end.

What is in a name? The question by Shakespeare and used widely to question meaning in a name. The opposing force working against Manuel and his pride is Roberto Morales. Taking apart the name to answer Shakespeare’s question, Roberto Morales becomes rob morals. For Manuel, it is manual or man. In the excerpt, the conflict between Manuel and Morales is when Morales says, “I must take two cents from every bucket.” Referencing back to the exposition is the building of pride. Pride is metaphorically said to be “loss of two or three dollars out of each picker’s pay.” Adding up of two cents into dollars and then having to lose all the money. The moral is Roberto promises not to take a penny from what the workers earn. Roberto is robbing not only morals of man but also robbing the money. Now it is man verses morals. Morals are not to waste the fruits picked but man, in order to win. Manuel needs to show he has the upper hand. When he does kick the bucket and “the fruit rolled away in all directions.”

Raymond writes with foreshadow using the fruit. Rolling in all directions, the fruit is spread out evenly. In the end, there is no definite win between Manuel and Morales. There is, however, a win between man and morals, man over morals because those buckets are knocked over. Shakespeare also writes “we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Although pride changes how a man feels about himself, he is still a man in the end. To what Shakespeare says man can do as they please, they are still man. Pride does not make a man in terms of who he is or who he wants to be. During the falling action, Manuel convinces Morales not to take a coin. Still, the workers or men are being address as “men.”

“Men are built to experience a certain sense of honor and pride.” Raymond Barriro does not specifically write if the experience is a gain in honor and pride or a lost in honor and pride. Surly Manuel did gain his pride that day but pride does not last long. It all builds up to the final moment and then crashes and “he would have to pay for this,” paying “for his defiance”.

Jess J2 said...

In the passage of “The Plum Plum Pickers” the author Raymond Barrio shows that men’s pride is judged by the work they do, what they accomplish, and the respect they carry for themselves.

In the exposition of the passage the author sets up the character Manual using demeaning one word sentences to show his lack of self confidence and respect he shows for himself. He describes himself as an animal with repetition of the word “brute”. Manuel does not see himself as a man or human because of the work he does. He feels trapped like an animal would in a cage. Manuel is trapped in a situation, which seems to be his work. The work he does is manual labor which may be looked down upon so he believes he is equal to an animal. The author sets up the first paragraph of the passage to show how Manual’s job traps him and lowers his self esteem because he does not get any respect or pride from the work he does. The author starts out the passage with the image of Manuel being animal like to show how men’s self esteem can be changed by gaining pride.
The author continues the passage with introducing Robert Morales who seems to be the “man” or “human”. He is the boss who has respect for himself ad pride but looks down on the workers and does not see them as equal. Robert Morales treats his own people like animals but he is the one who is the animal and but is not seen as the animal to most people. He is viewed with respect because he has pride and a sense of accomplishment. The author sets up this character to show despite there job levels, Robert and Manual came from the same place and are both equal. Robert has felt that sense of pride that seems to make him human but he has not done it in a honest way. Manual does no have pride so he feels like an animal and that’s how he is viewed. Men have to be proved men or else they are animals and their pride can be obtained two ways. Robert is worse an animal than Manual because he betrays his own people and turns the other way. His pride is in the way of him doing the right thing because pride makes these men human.
In the resolution of the passage these two men Robert and Manual end up in external conflict. Manual once again tries to betray his own people by taking money from them after all there hard work. Most men have respect for Robert that they do not decide to lash out they just simply let him have control. Robert knew he could do this because he is above the men and holds their respect. Manual stood up to him and knocked his bucket of fruit over. By doing this the author shows us that one simple action of standing up for yourself can give a man power which makes a man somebody in a large room of people who do not care.
The author sets up this conflict to show how man can get his pride and sense of accomplishment back. Manual doing this makes his him feel alive. Although he does not gain respect from Robert Morales he gains respect from his fellow workers. Manual standing up for himself and his people gives him pride and self confidence that Robert can never have because he is the animal stepping on other people to get his pride.
Manual’s pride is more modest but it is also more true to himself and everyone around him. Robert’s pride is unfulfilling and the type of pride he will have to keep obtaining to keep his confidence. Both prides and accomplishments from both men make them feel human but one is truly an animal.

aliciar2 said...

The author Raymond Barrio in the short story Plum Plum Picker suggests that even though a person is under somenone elses authority they should still be respected. If not they should have every right to stand up for themselves. The main character Manuel is a laborer who is very unhappy at the way his boss treats him as well as his coworkers. Manuel has no choice but to tolerate the mistreatment because he has to support his family. Manuel decides enough is enough when his boss tries to dock his pay. Manuel then stands up for the rights of himslef as a laborer and the other workers followed demanding they be paid properly.

In the first paragraph Barrio uses imagery to describe the emotions of Manuel whose in a situation he desperately wants out of.In this passage, " No matter which way he turned he was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, as though forever, neat rows of them, neatly planted, row after row, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell. There had to be an end." suggests that Manuel feels trapped. Trapped working for a boss who doesnt respect or acknowledge his hard work.Trapped in life of working long and hard days, trapped with no choice but to keep this job, for the job is the means of his family's survival.

Finally Manuel gets the break he's been longing for." He stopped and walked to the farthest end of the first row for some water, raised the dented dipper from the brute tank, drank the holy water in great brute gulps so he wouldn't have to savor its tastelessness, leeting it spill down his torn shirt to cool his exhausted body toreplenis his brute cells and animal pores". The author, Barrio, uses holy water as a symbol. When you think of holy water you think of pureness and the cleansing of ones soul. In Manuels situation the holy water replenished his mind and body, and if only for a moment, freed him from his guilded cage.

The rising action in Barrios the Plum Plum Picker is what leads to Manuels confrontation with Roberto. Roberto, " a real robber. A mexican general. A gentle, manly, friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, theiving, brute. The worst kind to his own people." Roberto without a caring bone in his body announces in his friendliest tone that there was a miscalculation and that he must take two cents from every bucket.Although the pickers gasped as one no one spoke a word. Taking two cents from every bucket meant a loss of two to three dollars from everybody's pay check. This was the last straw for Manuel. Manuel refuses to lose money from his pay check for all the hard work that he has done. With all the pickers looking on Manuel confronts his boss.

“The two men, centered in a huge ring of red ringed eye, glared at each other. Reaching for eachothers juggular." Manuel thought it was unfair for Roberto to take his money after he said that would not. Not to mention all the hard work that Manuel did to earn that money. With the pickers still looking on Manuel "tipped over his own last bucket of cots." Upset that Roberto clenched his fist Manuel kicked over another bucket. The pickers seeing that Manuel has pride and is standing up for himself they all lined up behind their buckets to follow his actions. But before they had a chance to actually take actions Roberto surrenders and says that he will not take any more money from them.

For the moment Manuel feels as is he has won the battle. Not only did he not lose money from his pay check but he also gained his self respect and pride. After feeling trapped in an endless maze he finally found his way out. Even though he will have to face the consequences later on it was all worth it in Manuels eyes. “He has salvaged his money savagely and he had earned respect from his fellow slaves.”Manuel felt proud of himself because even though he lives the life of a prisoner he feels that he accomplished something.Even if somebody has a higher authority than you you still have the right to stand up for yourself and thats exactly what Manuel did.

Anonymous said...

Ernesto Florez
Period 2
Plum Plum pickers

Analyzing “plum plum pickers” passage
In the passage of the “plum plum pickers” where Manuel, the protagonist of the passage, was trapped in an endless maze of apricot trees, just like the blackest bars on the jails of hell. Raymond barrio, the author of the story, is showing us a frame of suffering in a place where the opportunity to receive a good salary and a proper place to work are nearly impossible. The author also is writing one word sentence and those words (trapped, brute, beast, savage, wreck, predator) are right away connected with the previous sentence like “though surrounded by other pickers. Beast” in this passage the author is taking out the privileges of each person and that is replaced by the crowd and the treatment of them make a great lose of personality for the protagonist.
In the next paragraphs the author is demonstrating how the hard work and the situation where they work. Some imagery presented in the first paragraph is “he stopped and walked to the farthest end of the first row for some water, raised the dented dipper from the brute tank, drank the holly water in great brute gulps so he wouldn’t have to savor its tasteless” in this part the representation of water like a source of life is important for Manuel to still alive and the author put “holly water” because in the state of life of the protagonist is necessary a bless to drink this water no matter the taste and the way he drinks to keep his body relieved.
Until this part Manuel develops a character like a weak person who at least he can finish his work. In the story Roberto Morales the “contratista” looks like a powerful man who wear good cloths and is clean because he is just there exploiting all this people and when he refers as the “riches cannibal in forty around” the author makes a imagery of how this person, Roberto Morales, could do this to his own people and how a person in a suit could be so powerful and without a sense of compassion for his own people.
At the moment where Roberto came in to that place where everybody was resting, the author refers to the other people like they were honest and they can sleep, they cheated no one. They only did is not reclaim for what is right or what isn’t. The climax of this passage is when Roberto and Manuel start to have a verbal argument. It starts after Manuel lashed back at Roberto for taking the two cents from each bucket. “You promised to take nothing!” “Manuel heard himself saying. “Everyone turned in astonishment to stare at Manuel”. Everyone was astonished because finally someone had the courage to stand up to Roberto. Everybody knew what Manuel was doing was wrong, Roberto surprised for that answer from the weakest person in the place, and Manuel is represented in this passage as a savior for his people.
When Manuel kicked over the buckets this was his first victory. He had regained pride and dignity. At this moment of climax all Manuel’s fellow workers stood up and they kick their buckets too as a protest for the over charge of two cents. The falling action is when Roberto Morales sees that situation is getting worse each moment that Manuel and he are arguing. At this moment Manuel, the person who nobody thought would do it, felt a thrill of power course trough his nerves.
The resolution at the end of the story ends when Roberto Morales leave that place saying sharply “all right. All right, men. I shall take nothing this time”. This moment everybody wa proud of Manuel because he risked everything for something he knew was right. Even if it meant risking his families survival he knew that he wouldn’t be human until he had stood up for what he knew in his heart was right.
The author establishes his point through symbolism. Like Manuel he led his people through something he knew would be tough. But he didn’t give up on his people, because what it means to be human means to fight for what you really want and never give up. Manuel could mean nothing for the author but is lesson that we have to learn about what a man means in life an what a person can do if that person focuses on his goal.