Furia

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2020

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-13

Chapters 14-18

Chapters 19-25

Chapters 26-29

Chapter 30-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Symbols & Motifs

Belief in the Supernatural

Méndez weaves descriptions of Argentinian culture into the novel, highlighting religious and supernatural beliefs as prominent features of the culture. Méndez underscores Catholicism as the country’s prominent religion through Camila’s Catholic school and El Buen Pastor, the Catholic charity where she works as an English tutor. Even though Camila is not particularly devout, she seems to have a general belief in a higher power, as well as knowledge of the Catholic saints. Her recurring pleas to La Difunta Correa, “the patron saint of impossible things” (7), show that she’s willing to try anything to achieve her dreams. She knows the odds are against her, and she needs all the help she can get.

Along with the religious beliefs that pervade the culture, the novel’s characters also have superstitious beliefs. Camila’s mother thinks she’s bad luck for Pablo, so she doesn’t attend his games; Camila wears a red bracelet from Diego to bring her luck on the field; and when she wakes up during the night to the sound of her father’s angry voice, she calls it, “Witching hour, when demons come out to wreak havoc, babies’ fevers spike, and Death calls to collect her souls” (254). Finally, superstition and traditional religion overlap when Camila’s mother takes her to see Miriam, the curandera. Miriam uses a mixture of prayer to the saints and supernatural ritual to help Camila’s injured ankle. This part of the plot shows the way magic and religion overlap in Argentina’s culture. It creates a contrast with a typical Western mindset that religion and superstition are not only separate, but also in conflict. Méndez uses the motif of supernatural beliefs as a key piece of her depiction of the Argentinian culture. She educates readers about the values and beliefs of the culture by showing the way traditional religion and superstition intersect.

Ancestry

From the novel’s beginning, Méndez highlights Camila’s mixed heritage and the connection she feels to her ancestors. Although Camila is Argentinian by birth, her family background includes grandparents and great-grandparents from Russia, Palestine, Spain, and Brazil. The majority of the women in Camila’s family line followed the same path. Like Camila’s mother, they fell in love young, got pregnant, and never had the opportunity to chase their personal dreams. Camila can see how this cycle repeated itself in her family and is determined that it will stop with her. Knowing her family history gives her wisdom as she navigates her feelings for Diego. On the soccer field, Camila feels that she is singing “the wordless song” of the women in her ancestry (169). They never got the chance to pursue their dreams, so by following her passions, she is honoring them. Camila’s desire to be free and to change the narrative for the generations that will come after her give Camila the spark of joy with which she plays.

Other characters in the novel are also characterized as having emigrated from diverse parts of the world. For example, Roxana’s family members came to Argentina from China, and Father Hugo came from India. Through these mentions of other characters’ heritage, Méndez highlights the significance of one’s origins as a form of identity. She also suggests that many Argentinian citizens originated from countries and cultures around the world.

Gender-Based Violence

Méndez consistently incorporates descriptions and plot events that highlight the dangers women and young girls face in Rosario. In doing so, she contributes to her themes of both gender inequality and Argentinian culture, showing how fear of becoming a victim of kidnapping, abuse, or even murder is an ever-present concern. Méndez mentions some dangers as asides or short descriptions, such as when Camila thinks back to getting her phone stolen at gunpoint and describes the leering looks she receives from men, both on the bus and even at home, from her father’s friend Héctor. Camila’s family and Diego worry about her whenever she comes home later than expected, knowing that her age and beauty make her a target for kidnapping and sexual assault.

In addition to brief mentions of the dangers women face, Méndez features threats to women in major plot events. In this way, she shows the reader the prevalence of crime in Camila’s culture and community. Even those who have not been victims of crime themselves know someone who has. Marisa, Camila’s teammate, is the victim of abuse from her boyfriend, and her younger sister, Eda, is kidnapped and killed. Méndez shows that a disappearance like Eda’s is a somewhat normal occurrence. Posters of missing girls fill walls all over the city. Camila and Roxana are both devastated and outraged when they learn of Eda’s fate, but Camila’s family doesn’t share her passion. Camila’s father blames the victims, saying that choices they made led to their victimhood. Still, many people gather to demand justice for Eda, and Méndez highlights Ni Una Menos, a feminist movement fighting against gender-based violence. The movement originated in Argentina and subsequently spread throughout South America. Méndez depicts the need for lasting change through Camila’s eyes, showing that although many people are working to break the cycle of violence towards women, considerable progress is still needed. By featuring the ever-present dangers that Camila faces, Méndez shows the grievous consequences of gender inequality.