The Plum Plum Pickers

In The Plum Plum Pickers, Raymond Barrio shows that his view of a human is a person with pride. To be human, one must have honor and pride. The setting of this story has many trees and is very hot. Workers must go through labor for many long hour to pick fruit. The workers are treated like animals. Their breaks are seldom and seem very short. the setting is made to seem almost unbearable.

In the first paragraph Barrio uses descriptive language to show that the main character is treated like an animal and feels trapped. He is controlled and has no freedom. Barrio is showing that the main character is not human and does not have pride. The lunch break that follows is described in only one word because it shows how fast the break feels for workers. All the work that is done receives no appreciation. The workers are viewed as if they are animals which is why the receive no relief.

The next paragraph describes the next part of the workday. The words, "Almost too exhausted to eat," show the reader just how unfairly the workers are treated. Their feelings do not matter. Barrio is saying that the main character feels trapped again. He is trapped in his work and an undesirable environment. When the fruit is spilled the main character feels as if all his work has gone to waste. The fruit symbolizes that no matter how hard the people work, they will receive nothing in return. Their work without appreciation and their lives without pride are a waste.

Another short break follows this and is a short time to relax. "Midafternoon" is described in only one word to signify how short the break feels to the workers. The word can be read in seconds, and that's how the break feels for the workers. In the following paragraph the main character is finally receiving some time to relax, at least a little bit. He feels drained and starts to work slowly. Exhaustion starts to take over but it cannot be avoided because he has no rights, like an animal. Finally the whistle blows and hope for some relief comes as the workday is ended.

Now Roberto Morales comes into the setting. Roberto is a robber and this foreshadows that he will try to steal from the workers. Barrio shows that these workers are treated like animals and he wrote, "The worst kind . To his own people." to show just how badly Roberto treats them. Roberto is compared with white people because he treats the workers as if they are slaves. Barrio stops the paragraph suddenly to signify that something important is coming up.

The next few paragraphs in the story are very significant to the upcoming climax. Barrio now gives the main character a name. This shows that something benefiting the workers will happen because Manuel is going to speak his mind. Manuel is now a person with a name, he matters. His name is Manuel, it reminds one of manual labor. Roberto Morales represents a robber with no morals. Manuel feels frustrated and Barrio shows that because Manuel is does not have his pride yet. Manuel stands up to Roberto and this shows that he wants and deserves his pride. Barrio shows how a man must gain his pride to be human.

The next part is the climax. Manuel stands up to Roberto and gains his pride back. Barrio shows that the workers were treated like animals when he describes them as, "the other exhausted animals". Manuel will not do what Roberto says anymore and the author is showing that pride can be gained if one wants to become a man. Manuel will no longer do his work and manual labor and let Roberto rob him of his pride.

When Roberto says Manuel's last name it shows Manuel that he is more of a man. Now that he has stood up for himself he has the right to a name. Manuel has started to gain pride and he is a human being now. Their other workers want their pride too. They kick over their buckets and at that moment they become human. They all have pride and Roberto is inferior. Barrio is showing that a man needs and wants pride because without it he is nothing.

The last paragraph describes the theme of the story in more depth. Barrio uses this paragraph to go deeper about why pride is so important to a man. Even though there may be benefits and consequences for Manuel, it is most important that he gained his pride. The last sentence of the story says, "Or else they are dead before they die.". Barrio is emphasizing his point that without pride there is nothing. A man is worthless and as well as dead if he has no pride. With pride rights are gained and some respect is gained too.