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Chapter 5
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Return to Sender, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Immigration in America
Coming of Age
Democracy
American Values
Home and Belonging
Love, Friendship, and Human Connection
Summary
Analysis
Farm for the Lost and Found. It’s still cold and wintery as February turns to March. Mari tells Tyler it’s hard to believe in climate change after the long, hard winter. Tyler finds himself newly shy around his friend at unexpected moments—maybe, he thinks, because his birthday is coming up on March 8 and he’s about to become a stew of adolescent hormones.
Tyler’s shyness suggests the dawning of potentially romantic feelings toward Mari and offers the book a convenient moment to reflect on how much growing up each of its main characters have done in the past six month. Some of this, of course, is the natural consequence of getting older and hitting adolescence. But more of it is the process of taking on increasingly adult cares and responsibilities.
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The night before Tyler’s birthday is town meeting. This annual gathering of all citizens to discuss town business is a Vermont tradition. Tyler and Mari go with Mom and Dad because Mr. Bicknell has tasked his students with attending and writing a report about it. Grandma went in earlier, because she and her church friends always sell concessions as a fundraiser for their church’s youth group. Some of the other residents of the town, like the ancient and perpetually cranky Mr. Rossetti, have protested about this in the past, saying that it’s an American value to separate church and politics. But Grandma and her friends aren’t forcing anyone to donate money, Tyler knows.
As described in the book, the town meeting is an example of direct democracy in action. Town meetings like this are indeed a long running tradition in the northeastern United States. This chapter thus centers the book’s celebration of the power of democracy and becomes its clarion call for readers to participate in the democratic processes that are open to them. It’s crucial to note that even as it sets up the meeting, the book makes it clear that not all participants have the same ideas or values.
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On the drive, Mom asks Tyler what he wants for his birthday. What he really wants is to go on the 4-H club’s Washington, D.C. trip, but it costs $500—far more than they can afford right now. As a result, Tyler is already disheartened when they arrive at the school for the meeting.
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Mr. Bicknell asks Tyler to carry in the flag and lead the Pledge of Allegiance to start the meeting. Flattered, Tyler agrees. On his way to fetch the flag, he stops in the bathroom to make sure he looks presentable. And there, in a bundle on the floor, he finds nearly $800 in cash. He knows it must belong to someone at the meeting. But it’s wrapped up suspiciously, like a criminal’s money—and it’s more than he needs for the trip. Promising himself he’ll figure out the right thing to do in the morning, he pockets the cash.
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It’s hard for Tyler to pay attention to the meeting, although he notices Mari taking many notes. He is too confused about the money. It used to be that he knew what was right and what was wrong, but now things are muddled. His parents are doing something illegal, but only to save the farm. Most of the Cruzes are in the country illegally, but Tyler still wants to protect them. Mari says that Tío Felipe is a hero for running away from the family, but since when are fugitives heroes?
A commotion in the meeting interrupts Tyler’s train of thought. Out of turn, Mr. Rossetti demands that the town discuss the issue of locals hiring illegal immigrant workers from Mexico. Clayton’s father, Mr. Lacroix, seconds the motion. Mr. Rossetti has already made his position clear: he thinks what’s happening is “treason.” Mr. Bicknell respectfully disagrees. He points out that Mr. Rossetti’s Italian ancestors made the state better, not worse. He thinks that everyone else deserves the same kind of chance.
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As he concludes his comments, Mr. Bicknell lists all the contributions for which he’s grateful to the Italian American community: beautiful architecture, pizza, and even Mr. Rossetti himself. Although he and Mr. Rossetti don’t share many opinions, he thinks it’s an American value to treat everyone and their ideas with respect. The crowd erupts into cheers and Mr. Rossetti’s motion is quickly voted down. Tyler is humbled by this demonstration of democracy in action. And it increases his feelings of gratitude toward Mari and her family for helping save the farm and his feeling of guilt over taking the bathroom money.
There’s a commotion near the door. A panicked Mr. Rossetti is screaming that he’s been robbed. As he collapses onto the floor and someone dials 911, Tyler realizes that the money he pocketed must be Mr. Rossetti’s. He pushes his way through the crowd and returns the money to a grateful Mr. Rossetti, who whispers that there’s a cash reward. But Tyler doesn’t need that: just knowing that he did the right thing is enough.
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Para toda mi familia en Las Margaritas. On March 18, 2006, Mari writes to Abuelito, Abuelote, Abuelota, and Tío Felipe in Las Margaritas. Alyssa, who is going to Mexico for her spring break, is going to hand-deliver it for her. She begins by saying how grateful she is that her grandmother’s health is improving, and that Tío Felipe arrived safely.
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Mari’s letter describes the party that Papá and Tío Armando hosted back in February to thank their friends for their support during Tío Felipe’s ordeal. Ben and Alyssa attend. Ms. Ramírez brings her White boyfriend, Barry. He looks like Santa Claus. He wants to know why Mari calls her grandparents “Abuelito” and “Abuelote” and the like rather than “Abuelo” and “Abuela.” Mari explains that they use the diminutive forms (Abuelito/Abuelita) for Mamá’s parents, and the others for Papá’s parents—because they’re fat! Luby interjects. Not fat, Mari backtracks, but bigger than their other grandparents. Besides, what would her sisters know? They’ve never met any of their Mexican grandparents. Barry asks if he’d be “Barrylote.” No, Mari says, he’d be “Barrigón.” Instantly, she’s horrified at herself being rude. But when Ms. Ramírez explains that this means “fat belly” in Spanish, Barry laughs and insists that Mari call him that from now on.
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Addressing Abuelito, Mari says how much she still misses Abuelita, and how worried she still is about Mamá. The Paquette family have received more mysterious phone calls, but they still don’t know if they are from her or not. Recently, a man speaking Spanish called. Mrs. Paquette couldn’t understand what he was saying, but she gave him the phone number to the trailer, too. He hasn’t called back yet.
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When Alyssa goes to Chiapas, she will be taking photographs of Mari, Ofie, and Luby for their grandparents. She has promised to bring back photographs of Abuelote, Abuelota, and Abuelito when she returns, which will settle the debate about their figures. Mari worries that Luby and Ofie are losing so much of their Spanish that one day they won’t be able to talk to their grandparents. When Mamá was with them, she did a lot to keep their Mexican heritage alive, but it’s hard without her.
Then Mari describes the Valentine’s Day creative writing assignment Mr. Bicknell gives his students. He wants them to write a love story, but not necessarily a romantic one. There are, he points out, many kinds of love. Mari chooses to write about the love of friendship, and she describes how the Paquettes have been true friends. When she reads it in front of the class, some students laugh. Tyler is mad at her, not only for exposing him to ridicule (Clayton and Ronnie immediately start teasing him about Mari being his girlfriend), but also because he worries that she’s endangered his family by naming them. Their fight lasts until the night of the town meeting, when Mr. Bicknell’s moving words remind Tyler of how vital immigrants are to the American story.
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Mari knows how badly Tyler wants to go on the 4-H trip, and how much money he would need to raise, especially since Aunt Roxie and Uncle Tony forgot to send him a birthday check. But, a few days after his birthday, the local paper runs a story about the 4-H club and their fundraising efforts. And a few days after that, Mr. Rossetti offers Tyler a job. Mari can’t understand how he could willingly help someone who said such hateful things about Mexicans at the town meeting, but Tyler says Mr. Rossetti is nice enough.
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Tyler gets off the bus at Mr. Rossetti’s house, and when he’s done working, Grandma drives over to pick him up. One day, she invites Mari, Ofie, and Luby to ride along with her. On the drive, Ofie peppers Grandma with questions: how old is she? How old is Mr. Rossetti? How long do people live before they die? Why don’t Mr. Rossetti and Grandma get married? Grandma is so flustered that she almost runs over Mr. Rossetti as they arrive.
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Later that night, when Ofie tells Papá that Mr. Rossetti and Grandma are going to get married, he remarks that love must be in the air. He’s heard about Tyler and Mari’s romance, too. Embarrassed, and angry that Ofie has been telling stories about her, Mari protests that her Valentine’s Day story was about friendship. Papá replies with a saying indicating that the Devil is far wilier than people expect. When Ofie asks if that’s true about angels, too, Papá’s suspicious look vanishes in a smile.
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