Previous
Reymundo Barreda, Sr.
One of the surviving Wellton 26, described by Urrea as a “natural leader.” Nahum’s testimony is frequently invoked throughout the pages of The Devil’s Highway, and, as a survivor, he was instrumental in helping officials identify the bodies of the Yuma 14. Following his rescue, Nahum, along with the other survivors, agreed to provide testimony on the condition that they would be granted immunity. Thus, Nahum and his relatives were able to stay in Phoenix, and were given jobs in a refrigerated meatpacking factory so that they “would never have to work in the hot sun.”
Nahum Landa Quotes in The Devil’s Highway
The The Devil’s Highway quotes below are all either spoken by Nahum Landa or refer to Nahum Landa. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 15 Quotes
The survivors were suddenly paid professional narrators. At the beginning of their federal jobs, they were paid in room and board. They got cheap shoes and pants. T-shirts. As they sang, they learned they could get job advancement. Even a substantial raise. Like all good bards, they embellished and expanded their narratives. As long as they told their stories, they stayed. As long as they stayed, they had a chance to stay longer. Soon, they would surely earn money. It was the new millennium’s edition of the American Dream.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Urrea describes the ways in which the Wellton 26 grew into the roles of witnesses to their own story. Realizing that their words had value, and that their testimony could directly influence their circumstances, the survivors of the ordeal discovered that the “American dream” they had set out to find was still possible—though it looked quite different, no doubt, from what they had imagined. The chance to stay and earn money in America is all many had wanted, and the opportunity to do so simply by virtue of sharing their own stories was something none of them Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perf
Get the entire The Devil’s Highway LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Nahum Landa Character Timeline in The Devil’s Highway
The timeline below shows where the character Nahum Landa appears in The Devil’s Highway. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2: In Veracruz
...the trip with his son, but signed them both up with Don Moi nonetheless. Meanwhile, Nahum Landa, Reymundo Sr.’s brother-in-law, also signed up—they were family, and they would look out for...
(full context)
Chapter 11: Their Names
Nahum Landa Ortiz brought many relatives with him. Oritz’s nephew, José Antonio Bautista, would later describe...
(full context)
Chapter 15: Aftermath
...are uncertain of what they should say—and some are still acting insane from the walk. Nahum identifies Mendez, “the guy with the rooster hair,” as the pollero who abandoned them, despite...
(full context)
Chapter 16: Home
The survivors stick together and demand immunity in exchange for their testimony. Nahum and his relatives are able to stay in Phoenix, and are given an apartment and...
(full context)
