Crossing the Wire

Chapters 1-4

Reading Check

1. Turtle (Chapter 1)

2. Mickey Mouse (Chapter 2)

3. Chiapas (Chapter 3)

4. El Cristo Rey (Chapter 4)

Short Answer

1. Rico is adventurous and Victor is cautious. When Rico instructs Victor to crawl under a cactus where Rico has hidden money, Rico is frightened to crawl under the cactus because he is worried about rattlesnakes. (Chapter 1)

2. Victor’s father was killed by a collapsing wall in South Carolina four years ago. His father’s death, according to Rico, has made him cautious. (Chapter 2)

3. Rico believes the United States is the “land of opportunity.” He likes everything American, including their cars, their music, and fashions. He wears a yellow baseball cap over his short, bleached hair as a way to emulate American culture. (Chapter 2)

Chapters 5-8

Reading Check

1. Money (Chapter 5)

2. Miguel Escobar (Chapter 6)

3. Honduras (Chapter 8)

Short Answer

1. Victor takes a bus ride bound for Guadalajara but is removed from the bus when he cannot produce identification. He decides to walk on the tracks following the North Star until he sees a train with others on it. He jumps on the train and rides it until someone tells him the police are coming, and then he jumps off and blacks out, waking up in an ambulance bound for Mazatlán. (Various chapters)

2. Victor has met Miguel and Julio, and Victor confers with both of them to help him cross the border. He chooses these men because he believes they have knowledge they can impart to him. Victor describes Miguel as someone who looks experienced in crossing the border, and he describes Julio as someone who has experience riding the trains. (Various chapters)

3. Julio has attempted to cross the border eight times. He believes Arizona is easier to cross because the vast desert and mountains make it more difficult for the US Border Patrol to find people. (Chapter 8)

Chapters 9-11

Reading Check

1. A long tunnel used for runoff (Chapter 9)

2. Drugs (Chapter 10)

3. Miguel (Chapter 11)

Short Answer

1. Julio wants to stay in the United States because he will never go hungry there. His father makes only $1.50 per day back home, but Julio makes $60 per day in the United States. (Chapter 9)

2. Hector reveals to Julio that the tunnels have been blocked on the American side by chain-link gates. Julio is still determined to use the tunnels, but he must work out a new plan. (Chapter 10)

3. Julio learns there will be a storm and buys an inner tube to float through the tunnel to Arizona. Victor believes Julio’s plan is dangerous and decides not to go. When Victor reads the paper the following day, he learns Julio made it through safely and regrets that he was too cautious. (Chapter 11)

Chapters 12-16

Reading Check

1. Agua Prieta (Chapter 12)

2. “The Skinny Dog” (Chapter 13)

3. In a thicket of mesquite (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

1. Miguel is reluctant to travel with Victor because he is afraid Victor will make a mistake that will cause him to be deported again. Miguel has a family that depends on him. Victor refuses to leave Miguel, however, because he does not know the way, and Miguel relents. (Chapter 12)

2. Victor does not want to take anything from anyone else. His refusal to steal from the cabin emphasizes his desire to be a moral person. (Chapter 16)

3. Victor decides to hide in the man’s truck and is later discovered by the man who calls the Border Patrol. It appears to be a mistake because Victor is taken to the Pima County detention center for juveniles. (Chapter 16)

Chapters 17-21

Reading Check

1. Rico (Chapter 17)

2. A Cholo (Chapter 19)

3. An arcade (Chapter 20)

4. The Venom (Chapter 20)

Short Answer

1. Rico had $500 stolen from him, which would have made him unable to cross the border, but he renegotiated terms to cross. This, however, became a problem because the Mexican police were not paid off with the coyote’s money, so they forced the truck to turn around. (Chapter 18)

2. Jarra is described as a “Mosquito,” a wealthy “bare-chested punk,” who wears diamond studs and gold chains. Victor and Rico dislike him because he brags about the money he makes assisting people crossing the border. (Chapter 20)

3. Rico tricked Victor into helping Jarra because he knew Victor would never assist Jarra as a drug mule–even if they are just carrying water. Up to this point, Victor has repeatedly turned down opportunities to help him cross the border offered by drug mules. Rico often refers to Victor as “turtle,” implying that he is often afraid to do what is necessary. (Various chapters)

Chapters 22-28

Reading Check

1. A snake (Chapter 22)

2. Tucson (Chapter 25)

3. Asparagus (Chapter 27)

Short Answer

1. Rico heard rumors that Jarra and his group plan to kill Victor and Rico after they cross the US-Mexico border. The boys make plans to go into the mountains because Miguel told Victor there is always water in the mountains. (Chapter 23)

2. Victor’s father told him of the jaguar’s power of invisibility. He believes the jaguar was sent to give the boys a message about how to escape the mountain. He convinces Rico to cross the mountain on the steep ledge the jaguar crossed. (Chapter 25)

3. Reynaldo left Tucson two weeks ago because Reynaldo has been buying and selling stolen cars. Reynaldo’s son, Omar, was arrested for his involvement in a high-speed car chase. (Chapter 26)

4. Rico resented that his parents had chosen him to stay home and take care of them in their old age. However, after his encounter crossing the ledge of the mountain—where he was scared for his life—Rico realized that he wanted to be near his parents. Because Rico is able to choose his destiny, he is more willing to choose his family. (Chapter 28)