The novel "And the Earth Did Not Devour Him," by author Tomas Rivera shows a kind of Mexican American literature not yet to be encountered by many. He depicts the struggle and the hard life of migrant agricultural workers in the United States in the 1950s. Rivera makes his readers sympathize with the characters in the short stories from the book. He shows the hardship of social and economic injustice and even the effects of the cultural religion of Chicano people, which makes the stories more powerful. In this essay, I explore how Tomas Rivera shows the significance of religion in the Mexican culture. I will show some examples used in the stories and the meanings behind those religious aspect and how Rivera tries to develop a more accurate idea of how the workers felt by showing the themes of struggle and helplessness. To argue that Rivera uses religion as a form of strength for the people, he makes it seem that people only promote Catholicism when a bad situation is happening. The author foresees that religion has a negative influence on the migrant workers, because in their oppressed state they look for a promise from God or the spirits that might not be answered. This shows the audience how religion can be twisted at times of desperation and need, it shows how although religion is such a large part of people's lives and cultures, there are times when these individuals only pray when it is beneficial to them. For instance, in the short story of "And the Earth did not devour him  the mother has been educated to believe that God will provide if she patiently wait for his help, and thus endure the trials God inflicts upon her. The son frustrated by the outcome of his family being sick, challenges his faith by saying: "What's to be gained from all that mother? How come we're like this, like we're buried alive? I am certain God has no concern for us. Why doesn't God care about us?" (109). The son recognizes that their family must