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Josef: Havana Harbor – 1939, 18 days (2)
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Refugee, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Trauma and Coming of Age
Injustice and Cruelty vs. Empathy and Social Responsibility
Hope vs. Despair
Family, Displacement, and Culture
Invisibility and the Refugee Experience
Summary
Analysis
More and more cracks appear in the boat, and the bolts holding the pieces together are coming loose. The water in the boat is almost to Isabel’s knees. They continue to scoop as much water as they can. Iván whines, asking when they’re going to get there. “Mañana,” Lito says. Lito then becomes lost in thought, and he explains to Isabel that he just remembered something he hadn’t thought about in a long time.
Lito’s statement that they’re going to get there tomorrow echoes what had been said to Josef and to Mahmoud in their respective chapters. The word carries the same double meaning for Isabel: she and the others in her boat are hopeful that they can get there tomorrow, but the word also carries the potential of not being able to make it to Miami.
Themes
Señor Castillo, who is lying down, instructs them to keep bailing. Geraldo suggests that he help. Señor Castillo responds that he is recovering, and points out that Geraldo isn’t helping either. Geraldo says that he’s tending to Teresa. They start to fight, until Amara tells them that they’re acting like children. Amara suggests that they drink some water, and the adults quickly apologize to each other. Iván agrees that they’re taking on too much water, and Geraldo suggests that a few of them hang onto the boat and float alongside it to alleviate the weight.
Once again, Gratz shows how the adults are acting like children, while the children take on the responsibilities of the adults. Isabel is caring for her mother, while Amara is steering the boat and making sure the adults are getting along.
Themes
