“Decorate was my very own words, I wanted to inform him. Translations only mistake it, dilute they, such conditions heading of Foreign-language in order to English. I envy my mommy their particular Foreign language curses often. They generate my English collapse into the a heap.” (pg. 59)
Felicia keeps an incredibly personal, however unhealthy relationship with their own children
Pilar and you can Lourdes was anything but romantic. Pilar have a diary, hence she have to hide inside the lining regarding their unique winter season layer. Pilar’s record could be considered to be an echo of your own pseudo-diary you to Celia has actually, written https://gorgeousbrides.net/fr/ down letters to their unique previous spouse. Pilar and you can Celia are similar, and their similarities appear a little more about due to the fact novel goes on. This can be one other reason as to why Lourdes and Pilar are continuously butting brains. Lourdes’s experience of Celia is actually challenging. Whenever Celia offered delivery to Lourdes, this woman is quoted because the passing the infant in order to Jorge and you can stating “I won’t contemplate their label” (pg 43). Lourdes is aware of which tale, as well as in an easy method shows you why she clings to help you her father and you may denies their unique mom.
1 day Lourdes finds Pilar’s log and you may finds out that her daughter has started pressing herself regarding shower, a consistent thing to do through the puberty. Regardless of if Lourdes obviously have an issue with sex you to definitely their unique daughter understands, she berates their own because of it, hitting their own and you can getting in touch with their particular a slut. Indeed there seems to be a reliable battle ranging from Pilar and you will Lourdes; Lourdes discomfort to get gone Cuba, when you’re Pilar craves to return which will be believing that she’s going to come across herself in the event that the woman is reunited along with her grandmother indeed there.
That it passing not simply refers to Pilar’s connection with their unique artwork, but inaddition it describes their tumultuous relationship with their own mom, Cuba, and also the Spanish words
Pilar uses their own decorate to speak with people, it’s inside average one she feels the quintessential such as herself, where she seems she will be the ideal know. Lourdes is actually uninterested in what Pilar brings. She does not understand the abstract characteristics out of their unique drawings. A vicious circle is generated, given that Pilar will not learn how to communicate with their particular mommy, and Lourdes does not learn how to keep in touch with their own daughter. A love anywhere between a mother or father and child try typically know because the are among understanding and mercy. It includes feeling safe, otherwise a feeling of belonging. Remarkably, Pilar does not end up being it that have Lourdes, and you will Lourdes will not become which which have Celia. This raises another type of theme that’s omnipresent within the Thinking in the Cuban, practical question regarding home and you may that belong.
Ultimately, there is the reputation out-of Felicia, and her three youngsters: Ivantino, along with her twins Luz and you will Milagro. She dotes towards Ivanito, that is isolated on the twins. Luz and Milagro enjoys memory of its father you to definitely Ivanito really does perhaps not express. To own Ivanito, their father given up your plus the rest of the family, but the guy cannot understand this or exactly how. Luz and Milagro think of its mommy means your burning you to day and you will exiling him from their home. Felicia will be considered probably the most unstable of one’s del Pino relatives, struggling with just what is apparently manic depression. She has extreme pros and cons; this lady has moments because the a warm mom, handling her youngsters. This might be overshadowed from the their particular times off madness, and you can an occurrence where she tries to kill by herself and Ivanito.
Whenever Ivanito is distributed to school, the guy increases a desire for learning new languages, particularly Russian, and also have a little bit of English. He expands a love with his Russian teacher, which just like the one along with his mom, can be regarded as poor regarding vision of his class mates and you will his college. His professor was sooner or later sent aside, to possess factors one to are still unclear, however it is recommended so it stems from that have strange relationship together with his students.