The United States of America

The United States of America is where the majority of the book takes place. It is where Jose lives as an undocumented immigrant and it is the country and society through which the topic of immigration is viewed. It is the place which Jose considers his home and it is the country to which he feels he belongs as a citizen, even if he does not have legal documentation. America is not only a place in this book, but it is also a society, an identity, and a culture. America, beyond being a place, is a social institution in which different people struggle to find their place in different ways. Because America is more than a place, it also reflects cultural values, ideologies, and narratives that speak to the thematic question of What is American?

The Philippines

The Philippines is where Jose was...