Signs Preceding the End of the World

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider the division between the Global North and the Global South. What do these terms refer to? What other components, besides geography, contribute to the division of these hemispheres? Provide examples of countries located in the Global North and the Global South.

Teaching Suggestion: This question orients students with the geographic content of the novel: the “North” and the “South,” which Herrera uses as metonyms for the US and Mexico, respectively. The concept of North and South also refers to the wider discussion of the division between more economically advanced countries (i.e., the “North”) and developing/economically disadvantaged countries (i.e., the “South”), many of which were former colonies of “Northern” empires historically. As migrant flows tend to move from Global South to Global North countries, Herrera’s use of metonyms is a wider commentary on global migration in contemporary society. You may want to point out that while Mexico is technically located in the northern hemisphere geographically, the theory of the Global North/South division considers it a country of the Global South. Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic:

• This resource, “A 60 Second Guide to The Global North/South Divide,” highlights the differences between these categories.
• A chapter in the open textbook Gendered Lives, Braff and Nelson’s “The Global North: Introducing the Region” discusses the Global North/South divide through the lens of gender.

2. Is immigration perceived generally positively or negatively in the US? What facets about immigration might be subject to debate? Consider this view in US history. In general, how is the public perception of migration presented by the mass media?

Teaching Suggestion: Since the novel’s publication in 2009, “people on the move”—particularly those from below the US–Mexico border—have received considerable attention in the US media. You may wish to provide more contextual information. First, Amnesty International describes three groups as “people on the move”: refugees, who have fled their country because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and who have a right to international protection; asylum seekers, who have also fled persecution and seek protection but have not yet been legally recognized as refugees; and migrants, people who stay outside their country of origin for any reason, such as to escape poverty, to work, or to avoid political unrest. Second, the media narrative that surrounds the entry of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants into the US is often negatively connotated, usually relying on rhetoric that increased migration from “other” (i.e., Global South) countries increases crime and criminality, reduces employment opportunities for US citizens, and increases financial dependency on the government. Finally, similar narratives have been used historically for incoming migration flows; examples include Irish migration in the mid-19th century, Chinese and Japanese migrants in the late 19th century, and Eastern Europeans in the late 19th/early 20th century.

• This teacher-facing resource from re-imaginingmigration.org offers a series of historical political cartoons you might utilize if your discussion includes that topic. 
• A 2016 study by the University of Kansas finds a correlation between negative media portrayals of immigration with public perception. Students might discuss how or whether things have changed in the time since the article’s publication.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Reflect on the term “colonialism.” What are the implications of this term? Does it have a positive or a negative connotation? How has colonialism shaped our contemporary world?

Teaching Suggestion: You may wish to share with students that Herrera’s novel speaks to the idea of cultural hybridity—broadly defined as the exchange and blending of elements of different cultures—in that the past bleeds into the present and, therefore, the future. The history of colonialism, particularly from the Global North into the Global South, reinforces the idea of the past’s continued presence in the future. Students are likely to note that the term “colonialism” usually has a negative connotation, as global empires sought to destroy what they deemed to be “archaic” ways of life to replace with “modern” political, economic, and social systems.

Differentiation Suggestion: For more advanced classes with a focus on critical thinking, students may reflect on how colonialism has shaped the development of the US. Students should consider the colonization of Indigenous groups of the Americas, as well as the treatment and discrimination of other non-white/non-Western European groups, such as enslaved Africans.