“My cousin and i call all of our mother “not-Mama.” As with maybe not-Mama charred this new chicken that will be cursing from the home. Not-Mama are playing you to record once more, dancing by herself at Latin filles jolies night. Keep an eye out, not-Mama is feeling disappointed to own herself…” (pg 121).
Felicia existence an uneven and you will chaotic lifetime. She marries about three different dudes, certainly whom she doesn’t contemplate appointment. She disappears for some time, of course she returns she informs her story away from waking up in the an unidentified sleep, iliar people. That is their own 2nd partner. Their own 3rd, she marries and very appropriate accidentally pushes him from a good rollercoaster so you can their passing. The woman is very likely to blackouts because of their own bipolar disorder, that will was in fact caused by syphilis the daddy out-of their particular students offered their, but it is also important to keep in mind you to definitely her mother, Celia, features an anxious report about her very own just after Lourdes’ beginning. Unfortuitously, Felicia dies appropriate she productivity house out-of her disappearance, supplying the reader the sensation that she is never supposed to look for their particular sense of that belong.
The guy confesses so you can making her appropriate they certainly were partnered in order to his or her own mom, to help you punish her for having a good Foreign language companion before him
Lourdes finds out away from Felicia’s dying away from their unique father, the very last day she will keep in touch with your. Felicia “are sad when she died” (pg. 196), Jorge says to their particular. The guy as well as informs shows you so you can Lourdes as to the reasons Celia try usually thus severe along with her right away. Once the book goes on, it is clear one to previous traumas are not only shared, he or she is passed out of one generation to another, destined to repeat on their own.
As mentioned, both biggest themes inside the Thinking within the Cuban try words and you can practical question away from domestic and belonging. So what does it suggest having a words? Precisely what does it indicate having a home, or even feel you fall in someplace? They are inquiries that every key profile during the the brand new novel query themselves, repeatedly.
Having Celia, their unique home is in the Cuba, in which she’s got turned by herself on a dedicated buff of Fidel Castro. She decides to stay in Cuba, even in the event her partner movements towards the Us. She remains, even though their eldest child and you can very first grandchild disperse aside. Getting Celia del Pino, she seems in which she belongs inside the Cuba, help Este Lider, and talking their particular Cuban Spanish.
Jorge desires Lourdes to understand that Celia did, indeed, love their, it is partially his fault for the strained relationships they features
To own Lourdes, their unique house is in the usa. She finds a new sense of that belong in america plus in this new English language this lady has used. It’s right here where she is went to by their particular father, where she’s got was able to reinvent by herself, in which she will be able to go after their particular private “American Fantasy”. Even when their particular daughter doesn’t learn their own, it’s just in-going to help you America one to she is ready to leave the memory out-of her unlawful assault in which she destroyed an infant. It is merely on dozens and dozens of sticky buns she takes to disfigure her very own muscles, to help you camouflage brand new marks you to bequeath across their own belly you to definitely she cannot discover. Lourdes doesn’t be at your home inside Cuba, this lady has overwhelming thinking regarding problems when she’s forced to go back whenever Felicia dies. She mocks her mother’s lifestyle and also the remainder of the new Cubans that have made a decision to remain. She can not hold off to depart the latest island and you can come back to their genuine family, within the Nyc.