“Those were his saints, so those were the names I got.” 

Traditionally, Miguel would have been named Domingo after the males in the family, but Papá named him after his favorite authors. Those “saints” helped Papá advance his education and establish the goal of providing a better education for his children. This quote illustrates both the lack of socioeconomic opportunity in Mexico and the importance of family: two reasons Papá went north.

“The words were like little drops of water to a person dying of thirst—enough to give hope; not enough to make a difference.”

Although Elena treasures Mamá’s letters, they are not a substitute for Mamá’s presence. Elena misses her mother desperately enough to risk everything to join her in California, illustrating another aspect of family—reunification—as a motivating factor to go north.

“Wouldn’t a father sacrifice whatever it took to bring his only son to his side?”

After almost seven years apart, Miguel doubts Papá’s love for him. Miguel’s anxiety reveals a sense of insecurity and hurt, which are feelings Miguel has trouble resolving. Miguel’s fraught separation from his father is an important aspect of the novel’s emphasis on family.