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Grounded
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Patron Saints of Nothing, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame
Culture and Belonging
Death and Meaning
Summary
Analysis
Sitting in his room before leaving for the Philippines, Jay reads a letter from Jun. In it, Jun says that he wants to be an astronaut someday. He told Tito Maning, but Tito Maning said that the Philippines didn’t have a space program, so the dream was stupid. Jun said that the Philippines might have a space program someday, and if not, Jun could go to a country that did. But Tito Maning said that Jun had to stay in the Philippines. Later that night, Grace told Jun that the dream wasn’t stupid, but Jun now thinks that his dad is right. He says that Jay will have to be an astronaut instead and take Jun with him.
Jun’s letter reveals that part of his strained relationship with Tito Maning stemmed from Tito Maning’s strong nationalism—he wanted Jun to stay in the Philippines, to be a part of the Philippines, even if it cost Jun his dreams. The letter also begins to establish Grace as a character who was sympathetic to and aligned with Jun’s way of seeing the world.
Themes
As Jay reads the letter in his bedroom, his dad enters. He points at Jay’s decorations, asking if they’re new. None are, but eventually, Jay starts lying and saying yes. Jay’s dad then tells him that the family moved to the United States because he wanted his kids to be American. Jay might not feel connected to the Philippines, but Jay has had opportunities here. His dad continues, saying that it’s easy to romanticize the Philippines when you’re not there—the food, the beaches—but there are bad things about the country, too. Jay asks what that means, but his dad won’t elaborate.
That Jay’s dad doesn’t know how Jay’s room has or hasn’t changed over the years demonstrates how little Jay and his dad talk to one another. That Jay is unwilling to correct his father further attests to the way this family finds it difficult to be honest with each other. While Jay’s dad’s comments about the Philippines are undoubtedly true, what also comes across here is that Jay’s dad himself hasn’t found a way to reconcile his Filipino and American selves—and this lack seems like it is a big part of what stands between Jay and his father. There is so much his father can’t—or perhaps won’t—say.
Themes
Instead, Jay’s dad lays out Jay’s itinerary: Jay will stay with Tito Maning, then Tita Chato, then his grandparents Lolo and Lola, and then Tito Maning again. Tito Danilo was recently assigned to a parish, so he’ll be at Jay’s grandparents’ house, too. Jay’s dad warns Jay not to bring up Jun while he’s there, because the family doesn’t want to talk about him. Jay pretends to agree, but he’s good at hiding the truth. He learned that from his dad.
This passage lays out the cast of characters that will show up during Jay’s trip. Tito Maning is clearly a dominant presence in the family, because Jay’s dad specifically asked him if Jay could come to the Philippines, even though Jay is going to see all of his family members. It’s pretty remarkable that Jay isn’t supposed to bring Jun up at all, given how sudden and tragic Jun’s death was. Note that Tito Danilo’s vocation as a priest makes sense given that he was the one who told Jay to take spiritual comfort after the puppy’s death.
Themes
