View a FREE sample

Poetry

This form of literature provides inspiration and comfort for Gabi throughout the book.

Food

Gabi uses this in many different forms for emotional support and comfort, secretly stashing it in her room to hide her consumption from her mother.

Berkeley

This institution represents Gabi's dreams for the kind of life she would like to live; although she loves her hometown and her family, she yearns to leave them to go to this place.

"Eyes Open, Legs Closed"

This phrase, which Gabi's mother repeats to her throughout her adolescence, embodies Gabi's mother's advice to Gabi about how to handle boys and sex.

Drug Addiction

This phenomenon plagues Gabi's father, and in extension Gabi's family, and is the eventual cause of Gabi's father's death.

Skin Color

Gabi constantly feels insecure about herself in this area because she feels it leads people to believe she is somehow not Mexican enough...

(read more Symbols/Objects)

This section contains 289 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample