Musical Vanity Boxes

In "The Musical Vanity Boxes," the musical vanity boxes symbolize deception. When Lucha and Hope first join Sammy and Jake's game, the vanity boxes represent possibility, hope, and adventure. However, the girls soon discover that the boxes do not exist, and that the boys have tricked them. The author uses the boxes to illustrate the girls' youthful innocence, and their desire to believe in something bigger than themselves.

La Barca de la Ilusión

In "La Barca de la Ilusión," la barca de la ilusión, the house where Maya and Buzz live with their family, symbolizes illusion. The house originally received its name because of the way it resembled an impossible-looking Victorian ferryboat. The author uses the house to illustrate the illusive nature of Maya and Buzz's happiness, periods of contentment that depend on Buzz's sobriety. By the end of the story...