When we think about society, there is often a stark contrast between the media-projected controversy that our society faces and the calm and confident view we have of our smaller, larger society tangible, “local”. This leads us to believe that our way of life is protected and that our rights are guaranteed by that concept of society that was fabricated and on which it was built. However, what if society is not what we perceive it to be and the government chooses to exercise its power in an oppressive manner? As a society we would like to think we are above such cruelty, but while The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera by J. Joaquin Fraxedas chronicles the state of Cuba in the 1990s, we must also remember that all societies and governments see the individual in different way as opposed to everything. Each group has unique expectations that are imposed on the individual and that extend beyond those written expectations. What this book brings to light are the extraordinary repercussions of refusing to meet the demands and expectations of those who lead our governments. When we stray from the well-trodden path and head for the "wild" one, as Juan did, we may not face death as often, but the possibility that those we once considered ours will haunt us for our choices is a real one. often a danger. an incredibly scary danger. Juan saw the injustice as he perceived it, and so, with just two friends and all the courage he could muster, he set out on a journey that not only defied the laws of their government but ours as well. Together, they overcame some challenges, only to be hurt in the most gruesome ways. Often, at first glance, the price of non-compliance is so insignificant to us, that many people think it is a simple matter: "I must... middle of paper... that the vast majority of those who complete the journey are left behind alone in a completely new world where the laws, people, language and customs, among countless other things, are foreign. It goes without saying that, both today and in history, our societies are scared of anything new or different past, African Americans were victimized because of the color of their skin and immigrants were overlooked because of their nationality. Unfortunately, now the situation remains more or less the same for almost the entire population. Even today, if you don't measure up of society's expectations and image of you, you will be persecuted. Like the rafters and other refugees who sought asylum in the United States, breaking with the standards and ideals that others have for us (whether it be the government or society in general), we not only put our safety at risk, but our way of living as GOOD.