Spare Parts

by

Joshua Davis

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Spare Parts makes teaching easy.

Laura Alicia Santillan Character Analysis

Lorenzo’s mother and Pablo’s wife. After accidentally dropping Lorenzo on his head as a child, she takes him to the United States to get better medical attention. She and Pablo then decide to stay in the United States because there is more opportunity for work there. She works as a hotel maid to help support the family. Laura is very supportive of some of Lorenzo’s eccentricities, like growing his hair into a mullet.
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Laura Alicia Santillan Character Timeline in Spare Parts

The timeline below shows where the character Laura Alicia Santillan appears in Spare Parts. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
One
Underdogs and Overcoming Odds Theme Icon
...jumps to describing Lorenzo’s early childhood. When he is a few months old, his mother Laura accidentally drops him on a curb in Zitácuaro, a town in the Mexican state of... (full context)
Underdogs and Overcoming Odds Theme Icon
Laura finds a doctor in Phoenix, who tells her that Lorenzo seems to be doing fine.... (full context)
Immigration, Prejudice, and the American Dream Theme Icon
Laura and her husband Pablo decide they should stay in the United States, because they have... (full context)
Immigration, Prejudice, and the American Dream Theme Icon
Once in the United States, Laura and Pablo have three more children: Pablo Jr., Yoliet, and Fernando. These three children will... (full context)
Immigration, Prejudice, and the American Dream Theme Icon
Laura tries to put Mexico behind them, but Pablo does not forget the solitude of the... (full context)
Underdogs and Overcoming Odds Theme Icon
...odd-shaped head. Lorenzo embraces the fact that he is different and grows his hair long. Laura supports him, but kids continue to make fun of him. He yells back at them... (full context)
Two
Underdogs and Overcoming Odds Theme Icon
...his long hair and flicks gum into it. It takes three days for Lorenzo’s mother Laura to loosen the gum, as Lorenzo is insistent on not cutting his hair. When another... (full context)
Underdogs and Overcoming Odds Theme Icon
Lorenzo’s mother Laura asks him to read a letter that arrived for them in English. Lorenzo explains that... (full context)
Mentorship Theme Icon
Outside of robotics, Lorenzo loves watching his mother Laura cook, and he wants to learn more about cooking. Another school in West Phoenix offers... (full context)