Adversity

Much of the novel’s dramatic construction relies on the pain and suffering of the central characters, and the novel uses this pain as a means of exploring the necessity of both accepting and resisting adversity. For example, Angelica leads an extremely painful existence, as her father begins sexually abusing her when she is quite young. Because she grows up with this abuse, it takes her a long time to realize just how wrong and harmful it is: “Only as she gets older is there a growing sense of something wrong” (37). The crux of her character arc depends upon her realization of this harm and her attempts to resist. Unfortunately, she is ultimately unable to escape from her father, but her growing sense of personal resolve is still portrayed as valiant. Overall, Angelica’s tragic storyline serves to emphasize the painful and tragic elements embedded in...