Antonio Character Analysis

In “Aviation,” Antonio is a caseworker assigned to find Sunni emergency foster care after Sunni’s maa is taken into custody following an altercation with a woman she felt was discriminating against her. Antonio values the work he does, but his parents—at least his mother—isn’t as supportive. She thinks that kids whose parents don’t want to—or can’t—take care of them themselves are “hopeless,” and that her half-Black, half-Puerto Rican son isn’t living up to his potential by trying to help them. Antonio’s father, on the other hand, is more supportive of his son’s work. As Sunni and Antonio wait on Mirabel’s front porch for Mirabel to come to the door, Antonio hopes the person on the side of the door is as loving and supportive as his father. This isn’t quite the case though—Antonio, seeing the September 11 mementos and photographs on Mirabel’s wall, immediately understands that Mirabel’s husband Michael died in the September 11 terrorist attacks, and he also understands that this will complicate Mirabel’s ability to provide care for Sunni. He pleads with her to understand that Sunni is just a child and has nothing to do with the people who killed Michael, but the story ends on an open-ended note as Mirabel is too deep into a panic attack to fully digest and comprehend Antonio’s pleas.