In “Aviation,” Michael is Mirabel’s late husband; he died in the September 11 terrorist attacks, and Mirabel is still working through her grief in the aftermath of his death. Before he died, Michael and Mirabel were trying to have a baby, though they’d already suffered several miscarriages. Mirabel’s interest in providing foster care stems in part from her desire to honor Michael’s memory.
Get the entire Foreign Soil LitChart as a printable PDF.
Michael Character Timeline in Foreign Soil
The timeline below shows where the character Michael appears in Foreign Soil. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Aviation
...adjusts the couch cushions and straightens the windows. She can still remember buying them with Michael near Union Square four years ago. Michael teased Mirabel about “nesting” as he ran his...
(full context)
...days, with just Mirabel and her dog, Big Ted, living here, it’s never that messy; Michael died three years ago. Mirabel walks to the window and observes the warm, golden sun....
(full context)
...glass. Mirabel struggles to breathe; she tries to tell herself it isn’t real. She sees Michael in the first tower; he turns around, a look of confusion on his face. Mirabel...
(full context)
...many of which feature Mirabel with a man. Antonio thought he’d read that Mirabel’s husband (Michael) was dead; something isn’t right. Then he sees the American flag resting on the ledge....
(full context)
Mirabel considers what Michael would do. She thinks back to the day they shopped for curtains. Antonio interrupts her...
(full context)
