oppressed group to fight back--rage against the oppressors, yes, but also and most importantly a sense of justice and a belief that such justice can be achieved only through organized struggle. An individual may strike a random blow against the oppressor, but only a group of committed and organized people sharing common beliefs will be able to gather enough power to make any difference in the power relations between the oppressed and the oppressor. The Indians of Guatemala continue to suffer today, both economically and politically, but without the leadership of Menchu and others their condition would almost certainly be far worse than it is.
A good deal of the book chronicles the suffering of Menchu and her family, from poverty to brutal murder. She also records the organization and structure of the Indian community itself, which demonstrates that Menchu did not develop her
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