A Mayan Life #2

The author does not state his purpose overtly, but one can guess that his purpose is not just to tell a little story about one family in the mountains of Guatemala. Gaspar is the only Mayan to have ever published a book; his story does not just represent the one single storyline that he writes, but all the lives of the Mayan population; all of their hardships and triumphs. So many people rely on Gaspar to tell their own stories; to inform the rest of the world about what being a Maya really means. I am only about half way through the book, and I am already learning new things about the Mayan population, causing previously believed stereotypes to be shattered. For example, it is widely thought that both Mayans and Hispanics have had few disputes. Upon reading this book, I have learned that, much like the discrimination against African Americans in America, the Mayans are discriminated against by Hispanics in many countries. Mayans are looked upon as stupid, worthless, and poor by many Hispanics. I had no idea that this was going on, and many other Americans probably don't either. In short, Gaspar's purpose is to inform the world about the hardships of the Maya, while also sharing the heartfelt story of a single family.