Boats
The boats and ships in the story represent the characters’ hope and the potential to build a new life in a new country. Each of the three protagonists and their families take a journey by…
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Water
The ocean and the water symbolize the refugees’ despair. All three of the protagonists take journeys over the water, and for each of them the water represents a faltering in hope as they worry that…
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Isabel’s Trumpet
Isabel’s trumpet represents her connection to her Cuban heritage. At the beginning of the book, Isabel is described as being able to play anything, and loves to play salsa and other Cuban music on the…
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