“My personal brother and that i label all of our mommy “not-Mama.” As with perhaps not-Mama charred the fresh new poultry that will be cursing on home. Not-Mama vГ©rifier ce site was to relax and play you to definitely list once more, dancing by herself at nighttime. Look out, not-Mama try impact disappointed having herself…” (pg 121).
Felicia life an irregular and you can disorderly life. She marries about three some other guys, among just who she does not think of appointment. She vanishes for a time, and if she comes back she says to their own tale of awakening up during the an unfamiliar bed, iliar man. This can be their own second partner. Her third, she marries and extremely after happen to pushes him away from an effective rollercoaster in order to their dying. This woman is expected to blackouts on account of their own bipolar disorder, that’ll were triggered by syphilis the daddy away from their youngsters offered their particular, but it’s also important to keep in mind that their unique mother, Celia, provides a stressed writeup on her very own after Lourdes’ beginning. Unfortuitously, Felicia dies after she productivity house out of her disappearance, providing the audience the impression you to definitely she are never designed to come across their own feeling of belonging.
The guy confesses in order to making her soon after they were partnered so you’re able to his very own mom, to discipline their own for having a Spanish partner just before him
Lourdes finds out off Felicia’s passing from their particular father, the last big date she’ll communicate with him. Felicia “is actually unfortunate whenever she died” (pg. 196), Jorge says to their particular. The guy as well as says to teaches you so you can Lourdes as to the reasons Celia try usually thus severe along with her right away. While the book continues, it is clear you to definitely early in the day traumas are not only common, he could be passed off generation to generation, bound to recite themselves.
As previously mentioned, both biggest themes during the Dreaming from inside the Cuban is words and you can practical question regarding family and you may that belong. What does it indicate getting a vocabulary? What does it suggest to own a house, or to feel just like you fall in somewhere? These are the concerns that each and every center character within the new book inquire themselves, over and over again.
To possess Celia, their particular home is into the Cuba, in which she’s got transformed herself into a faithful buff regarding Fidel Castro. She chooses to stay in Cuba, even in the event their husband movements into the United states. She remains, regardless of if their eldest daughter and first granddaughter move out. Having Celia del Pino, she seems in which she belongs in Cuba, help Este Lider, and you will talking their particular Cuban Language.
Jorge wishes Lourdes to know that Celia performed, in reality, like their own, it is partially their blame towards burdened dating they has actually
To own Lourdes, their home is in the usa. She discovers a different sort of feeling of that belong in america along with the English code she has implemented. It’s right here where the woman is decided to go to from the their own dad, where she’s been able to recreate by herself, where she can realize her individual “Western Dream”. Even when their unique daughter doesn’t understand their unique, it is only in going to The united states that she actually is ready to leave the fresh new recollections out-of their criminal assault where she lost a child. It is merely on dozens and dozens regarding gluey buns she consumes to disfigure her very own system, so you’re able to camouflage the latest marks one to spread around the her belly you to she can’t know. Lourdes cannot become in the home inside the Cuba, this lady has overwhelming feelings out-of problems when this woman is forced to return whenever Felicia dies. She mocks her mother’s lifestyle together with rest of brand new Cubans which have chose to remain. She can’t waiting to go away this new area and you will return to their particular real household, in the New york.