Beto Character Analysis in The Line Becomes a River

Beto is another of Cantú’s coworkers in El Paso, Texas. He’s a young man who grew up in both El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, as he has family both sides of the border. He and Cantú discuss their complicated feelings about having family and ties in Mexico after joining Border Patrol.

Beto Character Timeline in The Line Becomes a River

The timeline below shows where the character Beto appears in The Line Becomes a River. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Trauma and Emotional Detachment Theme Icon

...his new workplace in El Paso and introduces him to his new coworkers, Manuel and Beto. Hayward tells Cantú to be ready, because they’ll be going on their first mission in... (full context)

Hayward, Manuel, Beto, and Cantú arrive in Lordsburg, New Mexico, for a mission. They go to a Mexican... (full context)

...dark. Cantú gets up to write the dreams in a notebook in the bathroom while Beto, his roommate, sleeps. (full context)

Later that day, Manuel, Beto, and Cantú drive toward the border for the day’s work. Images from his dream still... (full context)

Beto takes a clearly upsetting call from his mom, but he doesn’t tell Manuel or Cantú... (full context)

...agents are off duty, they drive up into the mountains and go to two bars. Beto makes out with a woman he meets named Suzy, Manuel tells Cantú that he’s about... (full context)

Natural Migration vs. Human Boundaries Theme Icon

Back at work, Manuel, Beto, and Cantú listen to their own progress along a dirt road being narrated via radio... (full context)

One night, Beto invites Cantú to a nightclub with his friends. Beto advises him not to look at... (full context)

One day, Manuel asks Beto and Cantú to help him move. Over pizza afterward, they talk to Manuel’s parents, who... (full context)

Driving back from Manuel’s house, Beto and Cantú talk about their lives before they joined Border Patrol. Beto says he felt... (full context)

Beto says he grew up in Juárez and El Paso and used to cross the border... (full context)

Cantú dreams that he is in Juárez with Manuel and Beto, partying and kissing girls in the street, when they notice men coming down the road,... (full context)

One weekend, Beto asks Cantú to look after his dog while he goes out of town. Cantú goes... (full context)