Nicaragua

The novel is set in the Central American country of Nicaragua. At the time in which the novel is set (see "1984" below), the country was in the middle of an intensely violent civil war, in which the socialist government fought with America-funded rebels called the Contras. This military-political-economic battle forms the background context for the novel and its central conflict.

Managua

Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua. Historically, it was the center of much of the civil conflict between the government and the rebels at the time in which the novel is set. In the text, the city is portrayed as hot, dirty, uncared for, and generally unpleasant to live in.

The Two Motels

The first motel that the narrator stays in on her own is run-down and inexpensive, perhaps a symbolic representation of how the narrator feels about her life. The second motel, where the narrator...