Night at the Fiestas

Pick two of the stories and compare the ways in which they depict Fraught Family Bonds. How does this theme develop in each of the stories? What kinds of characteristics do these families have in common, and what argument might the author be making about the origins of dysfunction?

How do you interpret the character of Amadeo Padilla? What lessons does he learn throughout the course of “The Five Wounds,” and what does he ultimately come to understand about faith, family, and redemption?

How does the meaning of Nemecia’s doll shift over the course of the story? What other oblique references to Nemecia’s childhood trauma are contained within the story’s descriptive imagery, and how are these images employed?

Impulsivity is a common thread among these stories. Which characters behave impulsively, and how do you interpret their actions? What broader argument might the author be making about the complexity of human behavior?

Choose at least three characters whose behavior includes weighty issues like addiction and domestic violence and analyze how the author humanizes these characters rather than vilifying them.

Many symbols and motifs in this collection engage with the intersection of class and identity. Find one such symbol or motif and analyze how it supports The Effects of Class on the Coming-of-Age Journey.

Analyze Ofelia’s relationship with her grandfather. Does his devotion to her help him to atone for past sins in his family? Why or why not?

How does the stories’ depiction of the problematic aspects of religion highlight the Fiestas’ controversial celebration of colonization? What is the relationship between Catholicism and colonization, and what techniques does the author use to address this complex topic?