Read the excerpts from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Excerpt 1 – from lesson "Hey, Lucy, there’s a note for you,” Frankie said coming back inside."For me?”"Yeah, it’s from Ivette.”"I don’t want it. Throw it away.”Mamá stopped sweeping. "Lucía, I know you’re upset. But Ivette’s been a good friend to you. She called three times yesterday. We can’t blame her for what her mother thinks.”I could certainly blame her. And if Mamá knew what she’d done, then she’d understand why I was never going to talk to her again.Excerpt 2 – Chapters 13 and 14I shot Frankie a nasty look. "This isn’t about fun.” I turned to Mamá. "Maybe they’ll excuse us from the service. Tío Antonio can ask about getting us some type of special permission.”"Don’t mention your tío’s name again!” Papá abruptly stood up, nearly dropping Frankie to the ground. "We don’t have anything to do with him!”"Fernando, he’s your brother. He made calls to try to get you out of jail. I know you fought the other day, but—”"Ha!” Papá threw his head back and laughed. "He told you he was trying to get me out, eh?” Papá shook his head. "¡Qué maldito! He saw me in jail this morning and you know what he did?”None of us said a word."He told me that I’d asked for all of this. That it was my fault. Said he’d warned me, but that now I deserved whatever came my way!”
Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.It was a sunny day in Miami, exactly the same as in Cuba, but there was a difference. In Cuba, the air seemed to taste sweeter, as if there were mangoes growing nearby or your mother had just cooked your favorite dish. Here, although I was only a couple hundred miles away, everything felt more sterile, like I’d just walked into an office building.
Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.He stood, put his hands in his pockets, and took a few steps back."This is so hard,” he muttered."Papá . . .” I leaned forward, afraid that I already knew what he was about to say."Your mother and I have decided . . .” Papá walked over and put his arm on Mamá’s shoulder. She sat frozen in place. "We’ve made plans for you to leave Cuba . . . tomorrow.”My heart stopped."You and Mamá, too, right?” Frankie asked.My head spun. Leave Cuba? Tomorrow?"No, Frankie, your mother and I . . .”"They’re not going with us.” My fear turned into anger. "You’re sending us away, aren’t you? Like some of the other kids. How can you do that?”Papá’s eyes glistened. "Lucy, we have no choice. You know they won’t let us leave with you. Alicia Milian was able to get us some visa waivers for you and Frankie, but . . .”"Wait. So where are we going?” Frankie asked."To the U.S.,” Papá answered. "It won’t be for long, but you’ll be safe until things get better here.”
Read the excerpts from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.Excerpt 1"Fernando, I can work.” Mamá started to get up. "Take in some sewing. Maybe a little ironing.”"No, no. I won’t have my wife working. I’ll find something. Try to get some work as a handyman. See how that goes.”"But, Papá, can’t you convince them to give you another job . . . in an office?” I thought about how I’d never seen Papá fix anything around our house.Excerpt 2 He looked at me and Frankie. "They mentioned the kids several times. Said that Lucía needs to volunteer to work on the farms or join the brigades if she wants to finish her education. And Frankie’ll have to join the Pioneros group to learn all about the revolution." "No.” Mamá put her hands on her hips. "I won’t do that. There’s no way I’m sending my daughter away. Revolutionaries taking care of her. It’s absurd!”
Read the excerpts from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.Excerpt 1 – Chapters 13 and 14"But, Papá, can’t you convince them to give you another job . . . in an office?” I thought about how I’d never seen Papá fix anything around our house."No, mi hija. I’ve been told that I need to prove myself first.”"Prove yourself how?” Mamá tucked in her cotton blouse.He shrugged. "Show them I’m a good revolutionary.” Excerpt 2 – Chapter 15 "I’m sorry. Can’t Frankie and I stay together?”George looked at me in the rearview mirror. "Once we find you a foster family, then maybe. But you have to remember, your parents sent you here for a reason. Now it’s up to you to make them proud. You have to be strong.”Be strong. That’s what Papá had told me before I left.
Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Mamá sat on my bed and started brushing my hair. "I know staying home is hard, but you and your brother have been very good.” She reached over and put the silver-handled brush back on my vanity.I bit my lip and looked down."You’re growing up right before my eyes. In a few months, you’ll have your quinces and a year after that I’ll be chaperoning you on dates.” Mamá gave me a little squeeze. "Seems like only yesterday your grandmother, God rest her soul, was chaperoning your father and me.”
Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.As George strode to the car, I glanced back to see Frankie watching me.I gave him a small wave. Frankie just kept staring.I bent down, picked up my bag, and walked into the building. . . . For such a large building, it was strangely quiet, as if even sounds got lost inside. The hallway seemed to stretch on for miles. The heavy double doors creaked as they closed behind me. I quickly turned back and looked through the doors’ narrow windows. My heart shattered. I could see Frankie’s hands splayed against the station wagon’s side window as I heard his muffled yell. "Luuuciiiaaa!”
Which element of a text can contribute to the development of a theme?
What is a topic?
What does it mean when a theme is implicit?
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