Edgar Mendoza

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Into The Beautiful North Character Analysis

This Luis Alberto Urrea novel was one of the more optimistic novels we
read in class. It doesnt shy away from social criticism but it also maintains
an overall positive tone although it ends in a melancholic way. It is a novel
with more than one quest and not all end on a positive note but along the
way we find that we are able to relate to most of the characters. The novel
draws inspiration from the 1960 motion picture, The Magnificent Seven.
Much of the novel draws inspiration from the plot of the movie and some of
the actors are paralleled by a few characters. In this novel we get a glimpse
into individual characters that share a common goal yet each has his/her
own quest.
The protagonist of the story is Nayeli Cervantes, a teenage girl from
Tres Camarones, Sinaloa. She is essentially the leader of the group that sets
out to recruit men to defend her hometown. At an early age, Nayelis father
moved to the United States in order to support his family. As a result, Nayeli
grew up without a male role model but guidance from her mother and her
aunt allowed her to become a young women who was very capable of
fending for herself. It is because of her self-sufficiency that she is chosen to
sort of lead the quest of the novel.
Along with her main mission, the novel also gives us a glimpse into
Nayelis personal quest, to find her father. In the early stages of the novel,

Edgar Mendoza
SPAN 365
Urioste
SP 15

we are introduced to Matt, an American missionary whom Nayeli develops

feelings for. We are led to believe that Nayeli might also be in search of love
with Matt but after his betrayal she realizes that the love she is looking for is
her fathers. Unfortunately, her father has established a new family and upon
discovering this Nayeli is left broken.
As I mentioned before, one of Nayelis biggest influences is her Aunt
Irma. Irma, a former bowling champion, has a strong character and wins her
towns election for mayor. The idea for a journey in search of seven warriors
comes from watching a movie that stars one of Irmas favorite actors Yul
Brynner, The Magnificent Seven. Throughout the novel Irma is clearly longing
for her long lost love, Chava Chavarn. She tells Nayeli that Chava is the key
to the success of their journey. Oddly enough the character that Brynner
plays in the movie, Chris Adams, is also said to hold the key to success of
their mission. This is one of the many parallels that we see between the
novel and the film.
The colorful array of characters that follow Nayeli in her journey is not
without importance. First the girls, Yoloxochitl and Veronica. Yolo is the
daughter of college educated parents. Her most notable role in the novel
comes at the expense of Nayeli. Yolo sleeps with Matt while in San Diego and
in turn damages her relationship with Nayeli. It is clear by the end of the
story that Matt had no intention of being in a serious relationship with Yolo
even though her heart is set on staying with him in the United States.

Edgar Mendoza
SPAN 365
Urioste
SP 15

Veronica, or Vampi as her friends call her, is a young girl who has found an
interest in Goth culture shortly after her father and brother moved to the
United States. Contrary to Yolos experience, Vampi seems to find true love
with someone that shares the same interests as her and is open to having a
serious relationship with her.
The other companion in the journey is Tacho. Tacho is a homosexual
business owner who despite the social stigma surrounding homosexuality in
some rural parts of Mexico, has gained the respect of the community and
proved himself as a worthy contributor. Tacho has a dual role in the quest for
the seven. While he initially is unable to cross the border with the girls, he
goes to a gay bar in Tijuana and meets Rigoberto. During his time in Tijuana
and through his interactions with Rigoberto, it is clear that Tacho feels
somewhat out of place at Tres Camarones and he knows that there might be
more tolerant places where he would feel more welcomed. After his brief
time with Rigoberto, he is able to meet with Nayeli in Tijuana and
accompanies her in her search for her father.
Last but not least is Atmiko. The girls meet Atmiko while they are at
an abandoned landfill outside of Tijuana. He claims to be a former member of
the military and always carries his a wooden staff. He is a proud man and
does not look down upon his home because he built it with his own two
hands. He helps the girls cross the border and helps Aunt Irma recruit men
once she gets to San Diego. Despite having qualities that could help Tres

Edgar Mendoza
SPAN 365
Urioste
SP 15

Camarones, he refuses to leave his home only to agree and return to town
with Nayeli and Tacho in the epilogue. Atmiko draws the most obvious
comparison to The Magnificent Seven. In the movie, the character Harry Luck
initially refuses to return to help save the town only to make a grand
entrance at the end of the movie and save the day.
After watching the movie we can see how much influence Urrea drew
from it. All these different characters are united towards one common goal
but they also have separate and individual quests. What makes this novel
unique is that it gives us a Chicano perspective on different aspects of
popular culture. Through the characters experiences we are able to see their
views from topics such as movies (The Magnificent Seven) to American
cuisine (fast food tacos). A true quest novel, full of surprises,
disappointments, and eventually success, Into the Beautiful North serves as
an exemplary piece of contemporary Chicano Literature.