The Squatter and The Don occurs in a rancho owned by Don Mariano Alamar of San Diego County. He is a wealthy Spanish family man, whose land is being sought by the squatters (persons who unlawfully occupies uninhabited land). In this case, however, the squatters are White dwellers who seek prosperous land, like William Darrell from Alameda County. Once, he was a squatter, homeless, and needy. As a White person, Darrell is protected by the American law, and that protection is the sole fear of Don Alamar, for that color-power overturns his right to property as a Person of Color. In the end, Darrell takes Don Alamar's properties. (This is a summary).
The story happened in San Diego County. Don Mariano Alamar, a Spanish family man who owns a cattle ranch, is worried about his property being seized by the squatters. His herds of cattle are being shot for the White squatters claim that their agriculture (grains and other plants being cultivated) is being destroyed by the cattle. They refuse to put a fence for even when they do, the cattle manage to go beyond the boundary and feed on the agriculture of the squatters' "claimed" land. The government created a law that prioritizes agriculture over the livestock.
WORK CITED:
Hicks, Jack et al. “From The Squatter and the Don” The Literature of California, vol. 1, University of California Press, 2000, pp. 244-253.
Hi, Regina!
ReplyDeleteI haven't finished reading this story but based on what I've read, I found it unfair. I mean, it was said that there were laws to protect people's land and cattle, but apparently, it wouldn't be applied to Don Mariano only because he was Spanish. Also, I didn't know about the fence thing, I stopped reading before it, I guess, but I don't understand it anyway. If there was a fence, how were the cattle able to pass through it?
Hi Regina! I like how you pointed out that William Darrell was once a needy and homeless squatter. I had forgotten that, but you refreshed my memory. Isn't it a shame that William Darrell is protected by the law in California because he is white and the other non-white races are not protected, even though they live in California? I enjoyed that story and I enjoyed reading your analysis. Thanks for sharing.
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