As an adult, she reflects on now seeing her parents more clearly as individuals. I, too, have personally had this experience in seeing parents differently from the adult perspective. .
Carmen appears to be wearing a mask in her own relationship that shows a repetition of her mother's life. The parallels of Carmen assuming her mother's keys, place at the table, and mediator status all indicate that the daughter is following the same pattern as the mother. Has she been trying to live up to her mother's role model? And now that she is faced with her mother's own fallabilities must she face her own as well? The dreams the mother had for her children did not materialize in the manner she had hoped for, something better and less limiting than the stifling culture of Santa Ana. Even Carmen's escape to a life in Washington has not brought about the desired lifestyle. The book implied to me that we carry our baggage with us wherever we go. The decisions we make are greatly influenced by what we have been taught are the right mores of behavior. Internal rules that we may not even be consciously aware that we have. Being an older student, I have caught myself numerous times repeating patterns that I recognize as having come from the homelife I was raised with. It can be a very disconcerting experience.
Alfred's struggle with alcohol seems also to be a parallel to Frank's story and his struggle with alcoholism. The descriptions used to describe this addiction are believable and real. As a nurse, Frank's verbalization of going through DT's was so very realistic. It could only have been described by someone who has, indeed, gone through that type of experience. The fact that any addiction is an ongoing lifelong struggle was also portrayed in a way that was so believable that it was not a surprise when both men each returned to drinking. The depth given to the problem of alcoholism brings clearly to the forefront that there is no easy solution and that emotional dependence is strongly tied to the addiction.
