2008 Economic Crisis (Motif)
The 2008 Economic Crisis is a recurring motif throughout the novel. Cara talks about how the crisis affected her, and also notes its impact on the people around her. She says that she and her friend Lulu lost their jobs because the company moved the factory to Costa Rica in search of cheaper labor. Likewise, Lulu's son Adonis loses his high-paying banking job and Cara's neighbor Tita has to take on additional work because she burns through her savings. The crisis wreaks havoc on all of these people's finances and the most vulnerable among them are dependent on unemployment and the generosity of friends and family, as they don't have many options. Cruz uses this motif to reveal what a seismic impact the crisis had on so many families and how it deepened existing class divides and financial vulnerabilities.
Water in a Glass (Symbol)
Early in the novel, Cara says it is important not to drown in a glass of water. What she means is that it is important to always put problems in perspective and not get too overwhelmed by minor issues. This attitude helps her survive and overcome incredible challenges, as she refuses to fall into despair. She keeps this frame of mind even after losing her job and, for a long time, her son, always trying to remember that things could easily be worse. In the context of the narrative, water in a glass symbolizes manageable adversity, as Cara tries to frame her problems in that way.
Alicia the psychic (Symbol)
Alicia the psychic works as a symbol in the novel of unexpected changes in fortune. Toward the end of the novel, Cara talks about how she received a letter from Alicia the psychic, an online fortune teller who she sent money to. She notes that various aspects of her letter came true in the past week, but in ways that she did not anticipate. She has to read the letter somewhat abstractly for it to make sense, but it ultimately predicts that she will receive a check from La Vieja Caridad and move in with Lulu. While Alicia's services are likely just an online scam, as a figure, she symbolizes Cara's unexpected turns of fortune. As Alicia predicts, Cara's future does improve towards the end of the novel in surprising ways.
Job Documents (Symbol)
At the end of various chapters, the reader sees job documents that Cara has filled out. The formal language of the questionnaires and applications sometimes clashes with Cara's freewheeling storyteller voice. At times too, her answers do not line up with the questions, like when she is asked about whether or not she has been involved in torture and, thinking the question is general, says she is not sure. As the reader comes to appreciate Cara's complexity, the friction between her answers and the rigid questions reveals how inadequate the forms are at giving a sense of who she is. In this way the job documents symbolize the dehumanizing aspects of her job search, as they attempt to reduce such a vivid person to simplistic responses to dull questions.
Gentrification (Motif)
Gentrification is another motif in the novel. Cara notes that she sees a number of people she does not recognize in her apartment building. She also says that her rent prices are increasing and the building management is pressuring her, and her neighbors, to move out. This comes as a result of the fact that Cara's neighborhood has become a desirable location for wealthy, young New Yorkers. The book shows how the forces of gentrification are pushing longtime residents out of their homes in order to cater to the influx of new money.
