What is the author's tone in the nonfiction book, Underground America: Narratives of Undocumented Lives?

Because each person’s words are offered without much editing or framing, the tone of Underground America is colloquial and straightforward, yet also respectful and at times poetic. In general, it is also variable, depending on who is speaking in the course of Underground America. A testimony like Roberto’s is good evidence of how the interviewees can be both colloquial and casual, on the one hand, and more lyrical and philosophical on the other. On the one hand, Roberto describes prison as a “terrible, ugly place” (67). While evocative, this description is casual and uses ordinary words. On the other hand, Roberto describes his own feelings after leaving prison in more philosophical terms: “I am not proud of having gone to prison. But I tell myself, those who haven’t fallen don’t know how to walk” (67-8). While he still uses similar, small words, the idea is complex and attempts to communicate the pain, confusion, and resilience he feels as an undocumented immigrant.