Classic Justice in Plum Plum Pickers

In Chapter 11, there was a small instance where classic justice played itself out. Barrio introduces a man named Roberto Morales and describes him in a very peculiar and interesting way. He defines the man as "a gentlemanly, friendly, polite, grinning, vicious, thieving brute" (92). The stark contrasts that are juxtaposed create some sort of unbalance and suspicion that sets the tone and environment for this setting. He talks to the group of people smiling and friendly yet he has his other thieving characteristic, where it is clear that all he wants is the group's money. As a two-faced character, he tries to take two cents from everyone's bucket but Manuel steps in and does not let him proceed. He told Morales that he promised he would not take any money and showed strength and courage by kicking the bucket of cots, revealing his steadfast nature. As a result, Morales leaves and Manuel saves the group of pickers from losing their money. It is important to point out that the author could have also specifically chosen to name Morales the way he is. Taking apart the construction of his name, Morales can be broken into moral-less. Thus, the author subtly hints at Morales' thieving, two-faced nature and how greed and selfishness turn men into moral less beings.