44 pages • 1 hour read
Cristina HenríquezThe Book of Unknown Americans
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2014A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
The novel is told in a polyvocal format, in which many voices relate their personal experiences. How does this style of narration impact meaning?
The novel features immigrant parents and first-generation children. In what ways do these families connect or fail to connect and why?
Food is an important symbol in the book. What does food represent in the book?
In what ways are these characters limited by gender roles? What expectations and limitations exist for female characters? What roles are male figures expected to conform to?
The characters in the book discuss many different political leaders, from Obama to Somoza to Noriega. What role does political leadership play in the book? What do politics mean to these characters?
What roles does religion play in the book? What does it offer or fail to offer these characters in their times of need?
What role does sexual intimacy play in the book?
Which characters in the book are dynamic? In what ways do they change? Does the novel suggest these changes are for the better or worse?
Some of the voices of the novel relate their experiences as artists or artist enthusiasts. How does art help them articulate their identities?
What is unknown about these unknown Americans? By the end of the book, are these characters any better known? Are they more seen and heard?
