Essay Questions

What is the main theme in the book ‘Vida’ by Patricia Engel?

Identity quandary emerges as the main theme in the book. Sabina is born an American citizen, but her parents are of Cuban origin. Sabina is struggling with an identity crisis because she does not know exactly where she belongs. For instance, she of mixed color, and the people around her are predominantly white. As a child, Sabina asks herself numerous questions that do not have answers. At a later stage of her life, Sabina falls into depression and mental health because she struggles to comprehend her personality.

How significant is Lucho in Sabina’s life?

When Sabina interacts with Lucho, she tells him how she feels lonely even if she is from an affluent neighborhood. She blames her loneliness on her complex ethnic background. Lucho comforts her and reminds them that she has a reason to live. Lucho knows that he is a lousy teenager, and he does not take his relationship with Sabina seriously. Unfortunately, Lucho dies in a car accident, and that is when Sabina realizes that she was in love with him. Lucho is a significant character in Sabina's life because he tries to discover who she is. Sabina realizes that she can love despite her complex background. Consequently, Lucho helps Sabina to find her self-worth.

How complicated is Sabina's romantic experience?

After Sabina realizes that she can love and be loved, she starts getting into relationships that do not end well. Sabina's first relationship encounter is with Lucho. The relationship with Lucho is not a serious one because he is a 'bad boy,' and he is determined to maintain his bad reputation. He accidentally dies and leaves Sabina to make her next move. Sabina later gets into a relationship with Nico. Unlike Lucho, Nico does not encourage Sabina to exploit her potential because he keeps on criticizing her on small issues. Sabina gets fed up with Nico's behavior, and she breaks up with him. Sabina later gets engaged to Diego, who is an immigrant. Diego is a womanizer and drug dealer, but Sabina tries to stay put, but the relationship, at last, comes to an end. Later, Sabina gets into a relationship with Lucas, but she finds herself cheating on him with her ex-boyfriend called Star. The author highlights Sabina's complex love relationships to depict how young people experiment with their love lives before they seriously settle down for marriage.