Ancestry and identity
Moraes takes time to tell the reader extensively about his ancestry before he tells us about his own life, as far back as four generations. Then he chooses to go by the nickname "Moor," like the included story of the fall of the last Moor in Grenada. For Moor, ancestry and identity go hand in hand. He seems to imagine his individual life as part of his family's continuous journey through time, through generations, and this awareness shapes his character.
The need for maternal love
Moor is also defined by the longing in his relationship toward women. This novel explores his relationship to no less than six female characters, four from his own family (mother and three sisters), and then with his first tutor, and finally, Moor tells the story of how he fell in love. The woman in question? An artist, just like his mother.
Political strife
The novel addresses aspects of history, including the fall of the Moors in Granada at Puerto Del Suspiro del Moro (in English, this would be the novel's namesake: "The Moor's last sigh." This transition of power is fascinating to Moor. Then there is the more recent strife of the Bombay bombings. The novel also provides commentary on a host of political figures, terrorists, and important cultural figures. The novel's discussion of politics provides the backdrop for Moor's more personal, emotional journey.
