Discuss the larger implications of the theme of Immigration, Exile, and Cuban Identity. How do the characters define themselves in relation to their Cuban heritage? What causes certain characters to resist it even as others choose to align with it?

How do Celia’s ideological beliefs prevent her from becoming a strong maternal figure for her children, and how does she rectify this early mistake in her later years?

Consider the various ways in which the motif of El Líder is described in the novel. Choose at least three to four passages, and analyze how the narrative’s tone implies the various speakers’ attitudes toward this prominent political figure.