Home

The characters’ longing for home coupled with their understanding that they must leave their homes and familiarities behind in order to seek safety is a major theme within the novel. Jaime and Ángela leave Guatemala behind at their parents’ behest, and Jaime cannot stop himself from lamenting the loss of home while simultaneously reminding himself that “As much as he hated leaving home, he’d have to be brave, like Miguel” (43).

Home functions as both an abstract idea and a physical reality for the characters. In the abstract sense, Jaime feels at home in Guatemala because he is familiar with his surroundings and feels the presence and love of his family. When his parents tell him he and his cousin, Ángela, will have to leave the country for their safety, Miguel’s uncertainty and fear is palpable. This is not, however, all due to Jaime’s...