“My aunt and i name all of our mom “not-Mama.” As in maybe not-Mama charred this new chicken and is cursing on the kitchen. Not-Mama is actually to try out that list once more, moving by herself in the dark. Keep an eye out, not-Mama is actually impression sorry to own herself…” (pg 121).

Felicia existence an uneven and chaotic lives. She marries three some other dudes, among which she does not contemplate appointment. She disappears for a while, and if she comes back she tells their unique facts from awakening upwards in an as yet not known sleep, iliar man. This might be their unique 2nd husband. Their particular third, she marries and also soon after eventually forces him off a great rollercoaster in order to his passing. She’s expected to blackouts on account of their particular manic depression, that may have been as a result of syphilis the daddy from their college students offered their unique, but it is also important to consider one to their own mommy, Celia, has actually an anxious report about her very own immediately following Lourdes’ beginning. Sadly, Felicia passes away after she yields house regarding her disappearance, providing the reader the impression that she try never ever supposed to see their unique sense of belonging.

The guy confesses to help you leaving her soon after these people were married in order to their own mother, so you’re able to discipline their for having a great Foreign language companion before him

Lourdes learns of Felicia’s death off their own father, the past go out she’s going to keep in touch with your. Felicia “try sad when she passed away” (pg. 196), Jorge says to their own. The guy also says to explains in order to Lourdes as to the reasons Celia try always so harsh together with her right away. Because the book goes on, it’s obvious you to early in the day traumas are not only shared, he could be handed down out of generation to generation, destined to repeat by themselves.

As previously mentioned, the 2 significant themes within the Thinking for the Cuban are words and you may practical question of house and you will belonging. How much does they indicate having a words? How much does it imply to have property, or to feel you fall-in someplace? They are the issues that every key character inside the the latest novel inquire by themselves, over repeatedly.

To own Celia, her residence is in Cuba, where she has switched herself with the a loyal buff away from Fidel Castro. She decides to stay in Cuba, even in the event their particular spouse movements towards the Us. She stays, in rГ©pertoire the event their unique eldest child and you will earliest grandchild move aside. To own Celia del Pino, she feels where she belongs into the Cuba, help El Lider, and you may talking her Cuban Foreign language.

Jorge wants Lourdes to know that Celia did, actually, love their, it is partly their fault to the strained relationships it features

Getting Lourdes, her home is in america. She finds out another type of feeling of that belong in the us along with brand new English language she’s got adopted. It is right here in which this woman is decided to go to by the their own dad, where she’s been able to reinvent by herself, where she will realize their unique individual “Western Fantasy”. Even if their unique daughter cannot see her, it’s just in going to help you America one to she is in a position to flee new memories out of their unique violent attack in which she missing a baby. It is simply about dozens and dozens off gluey buns she consumes so you’re able to disfigure her very own system, in order to camouflage the brand new marks you to bequeath around the her stomach one she can’t see. Lourdes will not feel home in the Cuba, she’s challenging emotions off aches whenever she’s obligated to come back whenever Felicia becomes deceased. She mocks their unique mom’s lifestyle and also the remainder of this new Cubans which have decided to stay. She cannot wait to depart the area and you will go back to their particular correct house, in Nyc.