Carlos Eire (Narrator & Protagonist)

-Carlos is the author and he tells his story of being an immigrant from Cuba in the United States during Operation Pedro Pan.

Carlos' Mother

-She stayed behind in Cuba after Carlos went to the US on his own.

Foster Families and Guardians

-Carlos was in and out of foster homes and living with different caregivers.

Other Cuban Refugee Children

-Carlos was able to relate to other Cuban children through Spanish, and also through emotional experiences and trauma.

Exile and Displacement

-Carlos' memoir focuses heavily on his separation from his parents, and his exile from his homeland. Coming to the US, he was estranged from his Cuban identity and culture.

Identity and Transformation

-Carlos writes about adapting to a new culture in the US, as well as a new language and learning English.

Faith and Religion

-Carlos relies heavily on religion and God to help him through the hard times, and often uses religious imagery to make sense of his experiences.

"Fearing that we'd be enslaved, our parents sent us away, so many of us, to a land across the turquoise sea alone, all alone, we kids, no mom, no dad, no kin on the alien shore beyond the horizon, willing, clueless fugitives" (page 1).

"We had letters, yes, but letters are a very poor substitute for parents when you're eleven...children need to press the flesh and to have mom and dad there" (page 5).

"Happiness includes all numbers. It's infinite and eternal" (page 247).

Language as Identity

-Carlos' shift from speaking only Spanish, to having to learn English is not only a change in the way he communicates, but in his identity as well.

Code-Switching

-Carlos engages in code-switching between Spanish with his peers, and English in academic and formal settings. It is something that was frowned upon, but in reality, it is very important for English learners.

Language Loss (attrition)

-As Carlos becomes more proficient and comfortable speaking English, he begins to lose aspects of his native language. This is very common with children who are learning another language early on.