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Dad (Mr. Abelard Paquette)
Ben Paquette is Mr. Paquette’s and Mrs. Paquette’s eldest son and the brother of Sara and Tyler. In the fall of 2005, he is 18 and bound for college. After the Cruz family arrives on the farm, Ben befriends Tío Felipe, who is close to him in age. Ben even brings Tío Felipe to the party where he meets Alyssa, but Ben is then inadvertently responsible for Tío Felipe’s detention by ICE agents after he gets pulled over on the way home for speeding. To his credit, Ben feels great remorse for the upheaval this brings to the lives of Tío Felipe, Tío Armando, Mr. Cruz, Mari, Ofie, and Luby.
Ben Paquette Quotes in Return to Sender
The Return to Sender quotes below are all either spoken by Ben Paquette or refer to Ben Paquette . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 3 Quotes
But Tyler has to admit that watching the stars by himself makes him miss Gramps even more. Especially now that Tyler feels so confused about how his parents are maybe breaking the law. He can’t talk to Mom, who would just lecture about freedom and justice and liberty for all, and Dad would feel bad that he can’t do all the work himself, and Ben is never around anymore, and Sara is a blabbermouth, and Grandma would get upset that Gramps can’t help out because he’s dead. That covers all the adults in his family, and Tyler wouldn’t dare mention what’s going on to anyone who isn’t related. As it is, he thinks the farm is already being watched by Homeland Security.
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“It’s ‘La Golondrina,’” Mari explains. “That song I told you about,” she reminds Tyler. “You sing it when you are far away from your homeland and the people you love.” And then she beings to sing and her sisters join in. Tyler doesn’t understand all the Spanish words, something about a swallow looking for something. But for once, not knowing the words doesn’t matter. Just listening to the lonesome tune captures Tyler’s feelings when he is missing Gramps or Ben.
So, this is what the three Marías feel, so far from home! And to think that Tyler has made them feel even more lonesome with his unfriendliness and spying. He wishes he had words that would let them know he is sorry, that they do belong here.
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Get the entire Return to Sender LitChart as a printable PDF.
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Ben Paquette Character Timeline in Return to Sender
The timeline below shows where the character Ben Paquette appears in Return to Sender. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...party-planning business and who spoil their niece and nephews (Sara, Tyler, and their 18-year-old brother, Ben) rotten because they have no kids of their own. The time away wasn’t bad, Tyler...
(full context)
Chapter 2
...describes her plan to invite them into the house to help with chores and when Ben suggests that the sisters could also help alleviate the loneliness Grandma has suffered since Gramps’...
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...when Luby said she was born in Mexico. Mom fails to divert the conversation before Ben can explain that Mari might not want Tyler to know she’s not an America citizen.
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Chapter 4
...saying a blessing over the food, Grandma wants everyone around the table (Tyler, Mom, Dad, Ben, and Sara; Uncle Larry and Aunt Vicky, their kids Larry Jr., Vic, and Josh; Aunt...
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...or into a nursing home. And third, after dinner, when Tyler follows Uncle Larry, Dad, Ben, and his older cousins to the TV room, Uncle Larry says that Homeland Security has...
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...to the Virgin, begging her for help with the family’s current troubles. Shortly after Thanksgiving, Ben invites lonely Tío Felipe to a party. But when Ben is caught speeding on the...
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...Grandma isn’t there and storms back toward her own house. Throughout the afternoon, Mr. Paquette, Ben, and Sara all stop at Grandma’s house. Grandma smiles triumphantly at their annoyance. But she’s...
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Chapter 5
...the first one without Gramps, but Mom and Dad have really cracked down on him, Ben, and Sara since Tío Felipe’s arrest. The Cruz family is beside themselves with worry. And...
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...written by a White girl Tío Felipe met at the ill-fated party he attended with Ben (later identified as Alyssa). This girl also wants to visit Tío Felipe, if he’ll allow...
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Chapter 6
...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....
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Chapter 8
...to do on the farm. Whenever Tyler has a spare minute, he helps Dad and Ben in the fields. Mr. Cruz and Tío Armando are working overtime in the dairy parlor....
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