The Red Umbrella

“Sonia, don’t you see? This revolution is all about control. They’re watching me, you, everybody. […] They’re going after anyone they think is a threat.”

This quote reveals Papa’s true feelings about the revolution and what is happening in Cuba. He feels very strongly that Castro desires control above all else, and he thinks anyone who opposes Castro will be considered a threat.

“The next thing I knew, I was running. I didn’t know where I was heading until I saw Papa’s bank in front of me. I wanted to run inside and have him hold me in his arms, but something made me pause. I inched toward the large front window and peered inside. Papa sat at his desk, calmly talking with a few soldiers. Turned and leaned against the glass. A group of young brigadistas walked by, laughing. There seemed to be soldiers, or kids pretending to be soldiers, everywhere. I took a deep breath, got my bearings, took off running again. This time, I didn’t stop until I was home.”

This is an important moment in the novel: Lucia runs to her father’s bank after discovering Doc Machado’s body. She follows her intuition not to go in and see her father, sensing that it would be dangerous or would reflect poorly on her father. She steadies herself and makes the smart choice to run home.

“Mama shook her head and played with one of her diamond earrings. ‘He was a pharmacist for heaven’s sake,’ she muttered, ‘not a threat to anyone.’ Papa looked back toward her ‘They don’t care. A dialogue. That’s all he wanted. He was organizing a group to talk about some of the changes being made, the rights being taken away that he felt weren’t in keeping with the original ideals of the revolution. He wanted a simple, peaceful protest to give voice to what so many is a betrayal of what the revolution was supposed to do. But that was too much for them.”

This quote demonstrates that Papa’s fears about the revolution are legitimate. Doc Machado was killed because of his opposition to the revolution and to Castro’s ideals. Doc Machado was a kind and peaceful man, which makes this example more profound.

“I was just going to tell your mother and sister that from now on, I want us all to sit outside on the porch every evening. It’ll show that we have nothing to hide from the CDR. We’ll smile and act like everything is fine.”

This significant moment shows that the fear Papa feels is becoming more serious. He decides that his family must engage in a facade to protect them from persecution.

“I nodded, but all of my Manuel induced butterflies had flown away, leaving me with a sick, empty feeling. “I’d seen Papa and Tio argue before, but this time was different. And no matter what Ivette said, she knew it too.”

This quote shows that Lucia’s true feelings about the revolution and Castro’s plans align with her parents’ feelings. She has had a school-girl crush on Manuel for a long time, but she quickly loses attraction for him once hearing his heartless attitude toward people who resist the enforced changes.

“We all have a duty to the revolution. Getting rid of gusanos is part of it. Look at Che. Fidel put him in charge of the prisons, and he got rid of everyone who’s against the revolution. He is one tough hombre…. Just like me.”

This quote depicts how young men embrace the revolution’s violent and oppressive ideals because doing so makes them feel masculine and grown up. By participating in defending their country, the young men gain respect and power.

“I looked at myself in the mirror. All dressed up, pretending to be grown up, and inside, I couldn’t even handle a kiss.”

Just after Lucia is assaulted by Manuel, she doubts herself and her actions. She blames herself for what happened, feeling that her intimacy with Manuel did not go well because she acted too much like a child. This reflects the cultural phenomenon of young women blaming themselves when they are sexually assaulted.

“I looked at Ivette’s note one more time. My decision was made. I crumpled up the paper and threw my friendship away.”

This quote demonstrates the breaking of Lucia’s childhood friendship with Ivette. As Lucia throws away the letter, she purposefully discards her friendship with Ivette.

“Soon all the kids will be forced to leave their families to go work in fields cutting sugar cane, and then they will be sent away to government schools. We won’t have any say as to what happens to you or Frankie.”

This quote reveals that the situation in Cuba is not resolving but becoming even more extreme. Lucia’s parents believe that if Lucia and Frankie remain in Cuba, then the government will send them away to be indoctrinated and incorporated into the workings of the new regime.

“I watched my mother and studied her face. I wanted to memorize everything about her. The feel of her skin, the scent of her perfume. Her eyes, her smile, her hair.”

Lucia and Frankie are preparing to leave their parents for an unset period. Lucia is trying burn an image of her mother in her mind so she will not forget anything, and so she can recall the memory when she misses her mother. This somber moment demonstrates the tragedy of the political situation in Cuba, as families were separated in hopes of ensuring their children’s safety abroad.

“Back home, I used to feel worldly being able to understand the American movies and songs, but now I just felt silly speaking in English. Thankfully, everyone else around me sounded just like me or a little worse.”

Lucia is admitting her own naivety. Like many young people, this moment in her life enlightens her to her own misconceptions about herself and the world. She feels self-conscious speaking broken English, but she is glad that she is not alone.

“Frankie curled up next to me. Having him there made me feel so relaxed that I was able to fall into a deep sleep for the first time since I’d left Cuba. I started dreaming about all the things I’d left behind. Silly things like my pink pillowcases, my record collection, my award for being the best speller in sixth grade. I could almost taste Mama’s picadillo or arroz con pollo, the café con leche she would make us every morning.”

Lucia is homesick, and this quote reveals her suffering. The fact that she has not had a decent night’s sleep since leaving Cuba shows that she is distressed. She finds some solace in Frankie’s presence, which enables her to fall asleep and dream of the things she misses.

“I looked out my window and wondered what Mama and papa were doing in Cuba right then. Was Papa out trying to find work? Were they still being watched? Would they get involved with the underground or try to fit in with the new system? Were they thinking of ways for us to be able to return home? Could it be we’d never go back? Would we be stuck here forever?”

This is the moment when Lucia realizes she has no clue what is happening to her family or if she will ever see them again. Until now, Lucia has had a steady stream of optimistic thoughts about reuniting with her parents and returning to Cuba. Here, the reality of the situation dawns on her.

“After only a few days of being with the Baxters, I was exhausted. Not from any of the chores we’d been given, although living on a farm was much harder than I’d imagined. It was that I’d grown tired of constantly keeping a watchful eye on Frankie.”

This quote explains that Lucia and Frankie are responsible for certain chores on the Baxters’ farm. It is hard work that they are not used to, though it is Lucia’s anxiety that exhausts her most. Lucia fears that she and Frankie will be separated if he does not behave with respect and propriety.

“Just as I slipped on my penny loafers, a phone rang and disturbed the quiet stillness of the house. A call before sunrise could only mean one thing…our call to Cuba had been connected. My parents were on the line.”

This is a significant moment because this phone call is the first time Lucia gets to speak to her parents since leaving Cuba. She is up early to complete her chores when the phone rings.

They are both adorable. If Stan and I were younger, we’d get one, too.”

The older woman at Mrs. Baxter’s church speaks about Lucia and Frankie as though they are pets rather than children. She is condescending when speaking to Lucia and imagines that taking in Cuban refugee children, like the Baxters have done, is like getting a puppy. This offends Lucia and Mrs. Baxter, who tells the woman that the kids are not dogs.

“I glanced at everyone around me. They weren’t that different than the kids in Cuba. A little more pale, and there were a few more blonds in the class, but generally the same. It seemed like I might be able to blend in, at least for a little while.”

Lucia sees that her new high school is like the one she attended in Cuba. The kids seem the same, despite their cultural differences. Even though she is coming from a tragic situation and family separation, she thinks she can blend in without drawing too much attention. Like many teenagers, Lucia does not want to be singled out.

“The Baxters were good like that. They treated us like we were their own children, which meant we had chores to do, but we were also given the freedom to make our own decisions…even if they were the wrong ones.”

Lucia appreciates the autonomy she has at the Baxters’ house. She does not mind doing her chores, and she seems to enjoy helping and doing her part on the farm. In turn, Lucia receives independence than she is unaccustomed to. She is allowed to make her own decisions, like cutting her hair.

“I shook my head as Mama kept talking. She was still trying to tell me how to act, even though she was so far away. Yet the last thing I wanted to do with the few seconds we had was argue.”

This quote shows Lucia having a different reaction to her mother’s instructive comments. Because Lucia holds these thoughts inside rather than sharing them, she demonstrates maturity. The quote also reveals that Mama does not realize how Lucia has changed and grown.

“You’re just a pet project for the people around here. Something to do while they wait for the corn to grow.”

Lucia’s classmate Betty is making fun of her at school. Betty is jealous of the attention Lucia gets from older boys, so she insults her. Betty’s words deeply affect Lucia, who worries that maybe she is just a pet project. This quote reflects the attitude of many people regarding the Cuban refugees.

“I still wanted to see Cuba, no matter what it was like. As much as I appreciated everything the Baxters, Jennifer and the U.S. did for me and Frankie, I missed my home.”

Despite the oppression of Castro’s regime, Cuba remains a vibrant, beautiful, tropical island in Lucia’s mind. She misses her homeland with its familiar traditions, food, smells, and atmosphere. This quote demonstrates that Lucia is grateful for the Baxters and her American friends, but her new life does not erase her old one.

“My heart ached. I had wanted to go back to Cuba. To my parents. To my best friend. But that didn’t seem possible anymore. That Cuba, that friend, simply didn’t exist.”

Lucia grieves for her past and mourns her loss of home, friends, and family. She is realizing that what she misses is truly lost forever. Her homeland has changed, Ivette has changed, and she is not the same girl she was when she left Cuba.

“I looked down at my hands. Mrs. Baxter and I had painted our nails berry pink a few days before, and for the first time, I didn’t cry remembering the scene at the park. I’m stronger now, I thought.”

This quote depicts a shift in Lucia’s thinking and in her confidence. She can engage in activities like painting her nails again because she has grown up quite a bit. At this moment, she realizes how her suffering has made her stronger.