The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border

In the Prologue Cantú recounts his and his mother’s experiences visiting El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. Why did he begin the book with this story? How does this foreshadow the experiences and research to come?

In Part 3 Cantú includes the full text of several letters of recommendation written on José’s behalf to be filed with his immigration proceeding. Why does he include these letters? What effect does this have on you as a reader?

Cantú describes his namesake, San Francisco, as the patron saint of animals. Desert animals appear throughout the book. Pick one animal (such as the wolf or the bird) and analyze Cantú’s interaction with it. What can we learn about Cantú’s personal growth through his relationship to animals and the natural world?

The end of Part 3 is told from José’s point of view. Why did Cantú end the book this way? What effect does José’s experience have on you as a reader?

Undocumented migrants are often dehumanized, and Cantú struggles to fight against this phenomenon during his time as a Border Patrol agent. How does he try to humanize the migrants he interacts with as an agent? How does he humanize them throughout the book, and why?

Many of Cantú’s Border Patrol colleagues are Mexican American or Latinx. Analyze how Cantú and one of his fellow agents talk about Mexico and the border. How do they acknowledge their heritage? How does this identity frame the way they see their job?

Write an essay analyzing Cantú’s use of fragmented vignettes throughout the book. Why does Cantú use this literary technique? How does it influence the way the reader understands his emotional journey?

Toward the end of the book, Cantú says, “If I was seeking redemption, I wondered, what would redemption look like?” (206). Write an essay arguing whether you think Cantú’s work with José’s family redeems the harm he caused while working with the Border Patrol.