Crop Dusters and Helicopters (Motif)
Throughout the play, the sounds of crop dusters and helicopters passing overhead are a constant presence. The sound of crop dusters spraying pesticides is a reminder that chemicals are slowly seeping into the land and the bodies of the characters, sowing sickness and death. The helicopters are used to monitor the community, searching for those who seek to resist by erecting crucifixes in the grape field and punishing them. These machines are the faceless symbols of the growers, carrying out their wishes while the bosses themselves remain anonymous. The anonymity of those in power only adds to the characters’ feelings of helplessness and frustration.
Bonnie's Dream (Symbol)
Bonnie has a dream about Memo, one of the children in McLaughlin who dies of cancer. In the dream, she and Memo are playing on a merry-go-round; Memo is in the middle and Bonnie is pushing. Memo becomes scared and Bonnie tries to stop the merry-go-round but can’t. It just continues spinning faster and faster until Memo turns into a blur and disappears. Bonnie worries that her dream killed Memo. Bonnie’s dream symbolizes how scared and helpless many of the residents in McLaughlin feel. They see their loved ones suffering but feel powerless to help them, just as Bonnie is unable to stop the merry-go-round despite her best efforts.
Crucifixions (Symbol)
As more children get sick and die of cancer, a group of children decide to act. They erect symbolic crucifixions by hanging the dead children’s bodies on crosses in the middle of the grape vineyards. By placing these children's bodies in the vineyards, they are directly blaming Arrowhead and the pesticides they spray for the children’s death. Hanging the dead children on a cross, they allude to Christ and how he suffered for others' sins, just as the children are suffering due to Arrowhead's greed. While shocking, these acts are highly symbolic and have a clear political message.
Martyrs (Motif)
A martyr is defined as “a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of a principle” such as faith or freedom. There are references throughout the play to martyrs. From Cesar Chavez’s hunger strike to the Jesuit priests shot in El Salvador for speaking up against the government, Moraga references historical events where political figures sacrifice their health and/or lives for a cause. Juan himself fantasizes about dying a martyr's death, although he seems more enamored by the romantic image of a martyr than the cause itself. The line “Martyrs don’t survive” is repeated twice during the play, reminding the audience what’s at stake when standing up to those in power. At the end of the play, Juan and Cerezita lose their lives for defying Arrowhead, themselves becoming martyrs.
Cerezita’s Transformation (Symbol)
Cerezita’s transformation into the Virgin of Guadalupe is a symbol of her agency. For the majority of the play, Cerezita is stuck at home and subject to the whims of Dolores, who decides where she can go and who she can see. Cerezita watches the tragedy unfold in her community and knows that she can make a difference. At first, she tries to enlist the help of Juan, but is disappointed by his lack of resolve. Ultimately, Cerezita decides to take control of her own destiny. Her choice to transform into the Virgin finally forces people to listen to what she has to say. She defies the limitations people have put on her because of her disability and metaphorically steps into her true power and influence.
