The Circuit

Gabriel is a bracero from Mexico who works on the strawberry farm with Francisco and his family one spring. Gabriel is young and hardworking, and Francisco comes to like him a lot. Gabriel’s labor contractor, Mr. Diaz, charges him too much for his room and board and also treats him poorly. One day, Diaz insists that Gabriel must tie a plow around his waist to till a field. Gabriel refuses to do this, saying that only farm animals do this kind of work in Mexico. Diaz is furious when Gabriel doesn’t obey him and pushes him to the ground and begins to kick him. Gabriel jumps up and charges at Diaz, but he doesn’t hit him—he says that Diaz can’t take away his dignity. Diaz looks frightened and drives away, and later, Francisco hears that Diaz fired Gabriel and sent him back to Mexico. Gabriel is poor, but he refuses to be pushed around, and Francisco finds this inspiring. He finds the courage to stand up against Carlos, an older boy who bullies him, after he witnesses Gabriel’s bravery. Gabriel’s character also shows readers that braceros in the United States had to deal with many problems like difficult working conditions and unfair employers.