The Mexican Fly Boy Suffering Analysis

Throughout humanity, the idea of suffering played a major role in human lives, in some cases by ending it. Nevertheless, according to popular religious traditions, the first humans, Adam and Eve, were placed on Earth to suffer for their sins in a life of misery. All humans are a part of this “original sin,” thus there is no such thing as innocent humans suffering in the world. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Popular religious themes are centered on the idea of continual suffering in life, like the Israelites who continued to suffer through the Holocaust. The theme of The Mexican Flyboy is also structured around the idea of suffering. In the story, Simon Vegas is obsessed with people who have suffered throughout history and “saves” those victims out of their misery. Even though Simon liberates the victims out of suffering, the historical events like burning of Jesse Washington continue to take place. The idea of saving the individuals is abstract, as it seems like the bodies suffer, while the souls are saved.

“They were wearing Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops, in accordance with a strict dress code” (p. 45). The uniform clothing worn by everyone symbolizes and resembles the harmony promised by heaven, where all are equal. The idea of equality is the promise of paradise, which is deprived in real life by the separation of people of color, class, religion or identity, which leads to suffering. This society is created by a fantastical element, the Antikythera device, which cannot be duplicated in real life. Véa’s message is clear, which is that the only way of achieving of a Utopia without suffering is through imagination, hallucination, belief in heaven, or in the case of the Mexican Flyboy, by constructing it. This notion creates a certain perception of hopelessness when it comes to humanity’s chance of avoiding