Immigration in Pap Khouma’s Novel, I Was an Elephant Salesman

Pap Khouma’s novel, I was an Elephant Salesman, outlines several different aspects as to what it feels like from a first person approach to being a immigrant in a foreign land. Pap outlines several characteristics that many of the immigrants share with one another. The most notable ones are the harsh life and risks the different immigrants take to survive and to â€Å"stay under the radar,† of the police. Paschal goes through several different situations in which he is either exploited or humiliated in order to avoid being sent back to Dakar, Senegal. He is living primarily as a nomad throughout much of the story living day to day and traveling from country to country selling small ivory things to Europeans to make money. Paschal lives a†¦show more content†¦Although I don’t imagine Paschal quite imagined the rough times he would go through I think he took on a better meaning for his life by traveling to other countries to try and sell his â€Å"Africa † to Europeans. The book brings up a theory of â€Å"free riding,† this mainly takes place when an individual or group of individuals consumer public goods without ever having to input anything for themselves. Some illegal immigrants I believe do take advantage of this scenario, case in point in America many illegal immigrants understand our economy and legal adjudications better than most Americans and are full aware of the penalties that they will have to pay if they are caught. This brings up the risk/reward theory and many of the risks that an illegal immigrant faces is minor compared to the rewards they may achieve by successfully working the American system for not only money, but education, and healthcare. Illegal immigration is a highly debated and hot topic in American society right now. I personally am for deportation of illegal immigrants; there is a process to become a legal immigrant of this nation. Granted I do see that the system is flawed, biased, outda ted, and time consuming that should be a main focus of those of us that seek to deter illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is a huge drain on the economy as many do not pay their share in taxes, much of the money made is sent to