“Color is my own language, I wanted to inform him. Translations only confuse they, dilute they, such as terminology going out of Language to help you English. I envy my mommy their particular Language curses often. They generate my English failure inside the a heap.” (pg. 59)
Felicia features a highly personal, yet unhealthy reference to their own college students
Pilar and you can Lourdes try certainly not personal. Pilar features a journal, and this she need certainly to hide inside the lining of her winter months layer. Pilar’s journal might be considered to be a mirror of your own pseudo-journal one to Celia possess, written down emails to their unique previous spouse. Pilar and you will Celia are particularly similar, in addition to their similarities emerge a lot more about while the unique happens for the. This might be another reason why Lourdes and you can Pilar are constantly butting brains. Lourdes’s relationship with Celia was difficult. When Celia provided delivery to Lourdes, this woman is quoted due to the fact passing the child in order to Jorge and you can saying “I will not think of their unique term” (pg 43). Lourdes knows this facts, and in an easy method explains the reasons why she clings to their father and you can rejects their own mommy.
One day Lourdes finds Pilar’s record and you will discovers one their daughter has begun touching by herself throughout the bath, a routine action to take during adolescence. Regardless if Lourdes certainly keeps a problem with sex that their particular child knows, she berates their own because of it, striking their particular and you can contacting their own a slut. Around is apparently a reliable race between Pilar and you may Lourdes; Lourdes discomfort becoming gone Cuba, if you’re Pilar needs to go back that’s convinced that she’ll get a hold of herself if she actually is reunited together with her granny here.
That it passage not just identifies Pilar’s reference to their unique artwork, but it also makes reference to their unique tumultuous connection with her mommy, Cuba, and also the Foreign-language words
Pilar uses their unique color to speak with folks, it’s inside average one to she feels many eg herself, where she seems she can be the best realized. Lourdes are tired of what Pilar brings. She does not understand the conceptual character out of their own sketches. A vicious loop is done, as the Pilar cannot understand how to keep in touch with their own mom, and you can Lourdes does not know how to talk to their unique daughter. A romance between a father or mother and child try traditionally knew since becoming among wisdom and you may compassion. It consists of perception safe, or a sense of that belong. Remarkably, Pilar doesn’t be so it which have Lourdes, and Lourdes cannot end up being it with Celia. That it brings up yet another motif which is omnipresent during the Thinking during the Cuban, the question from house and you can that belong.
Finally, you have the character off Felicia, and her around three students: Ivantino, and her twins Luz and you can Milagro. She dotes on Ivanito, and is separated on the twins. Luz and you can Milagro enjoys memories of their dad one Ivanito does maybe not show. To possess Ivanito, their dad given up him and also the remaining portion of the family, yet the guy will not appreciate this otherwise just how. Luz and you can Milagro consider their mommy mode your unstoppable you to definitely go out and you will exiling your from their household. Felicia was reported to be the absolute most unstable of del Pino family unit members, enduring just what is apparently manic depression. This lady has high downs and ups; she’s got minutes because the an enjoying mommy, taking care of their particular students. This is overshadowed by the her minutes out of frenzy, and you will an episode where she attempts to destroy herself and you can Ivanito.
When Ivanito is distributed to college, the guy increases an interest in learning new languages, especially Russian, and have now a small amount of English. He grows a romance with his Russian teacher, which just as the that with his mom, is seen as inappropriate in the sight away from his class mates and you may their college or university. His teacher is actually sooner or later sent aside, for explanations you to definitely remain unclear, but it’s advised it is due to which have strange matchmaking together with his pupils.