Quiz: Waiting for Snow in Havana

List three conflicts and describe them.

1. Conflict between Carlos and religion and his need to justify to himself that there is a god with proofs. He constant involvement of religion in his writing shows that this struggle is still a continuing in his life.

2. Carlos' struggle with adapting to American culture. This is shown with his hatred of some American things such as the word "firecracker".

3. Struggle to let go of events that took place in his childhood such as losing everything that mattered to him. This conflict really isn't about the material possessions he owned more about the people he left behind, his need to become an adult at 11, and having to drastically change his entire life.

Choose three motifs/ symbols.

1. Jesus: he appears only to Carlos. This is to symbolize, in a sense, Judgement day for Cuba. It was the end of his life and the start of his new life.

2. Cuba shaped clouds: He claims to have seen thousands of clouds shaped like Cuba when he least expects to see them. This symbolizes that he still has not let go of the life he left behind in Cuba.

3. eye Jesus: This is the plate that no matter where you look is staring at you. This represents his belief that god is always watching you.

Name one major and one minor theme.

Major theme: One of the major themes of this book his the difference between economic well being in Cuba based on race. he expresses this through him not wanting to eat black foods because he believes he will turn black and be treated worse.

Minor theme: One minor theme is his hatred of some aspects of american culture. This is shown through his hatred of Speedy Gonzolas and the word "firecracker". This shows his resentment of being forced to leave Cuba.



Describe two moments in which it is describing how he is describing his memories that are bittersweet in away.

One bitter sweet moment is when he is wipped by his father because his brother brakes a antique with his shoe. The sweet part of this moment is wipping Carlos shows that his father wants him to learn what is right and what is wrong. The bitter part of this moment is the pain enflicted upon Carlos for something he did not even truely cause. This is unexpected because when an author wants to show that his parent cares about him they don't pick moments where they are being cruely punished.

Another bitter sweet moment is when Carlos and the other children are having a rock fight. It shows the fun he and his friends had during his childhood before he leaves for America. Although this is a sweet moment because of the happiness they share it is also a sad moment because of its consequence.


Theme of Forgivness or humor:

There is a strong theme of humor. This humor is shown in many unexpected ways. These ways can be both sad and funny. There are many examples which I am prepared to tell you about. One is when they are body bording and Ernesto is pushed onto his head. Another is when the lizard jumps onto his grandmother and she vows to never venture outside again. When they hide his aunts jewlery, when he dreams the portrat is cursing at him, and when his is being chased by a statue of a torso are all unexpectedly hilarious when you look at it with an unmiture view.