Mercedes struggles throughout the film with social boundaries and has trouble fitting in with the Mexican community. She realizes, too, the necessity of speaking her native language when the injured woman crossing over the Rio Grande River needs help but does not speak English. Enrique (Mercedes employee) takes the initiative and runs over to Mercedes to ask for help; quickly after that, you will see in the film Mercedes say In English, Enrique. Were in the United States (Lone Star). Mercedes is trying to suppress her Mexican heritage and the fact that she came to Texas on illegal terms. Another time when Mercedes has a social issue is when Enrique speaks Spanish about her car. Instantly she insisted he speak English. The restaurant owned by Mercedes, employs an American work ethic but serves Mexican food, becomes a metaphor for her modern cultural harmony and social boundaries as she struggles throughout the film.
The concept of cross-cultural relationships is shown in the f
ilm by the relationship between Pilar and Sam. Pilar is a Mexican-American and Sam is from Frontera Texas. They had a past relationship when they were younger and in the film, find a renewed romance between each other. This idea also contributes to the conflicts between races. Mercedes was never fond of her daughters relationship with Sam and she shows a bit of hostility towards Sam. Since Sam is a white man from Frontera she has not liked the idea of her daughter being with him ever since they were teenagers and still in their renewed romance, as they are older. Pilar and Sams relationship was not about cross-cultural issues it was more about a secret that Mercedes was hiding. In the film Sayles comments, A border is where you draw a line and say This is where I end and somebody else Begins (West) about cross-cultural relationships among other themes within the film. All along cross-culture was in the family but Mercedes would do all she could to hide the truth from Pilar.