Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.Frankie leapt onto Papá’s lap. "So, the soldiers won’t be back, right, Papá?”"Frankie! Papá’s tired. Get off him.” I grabbed Frankie by the arm."No, it’s all right, Lucy. Here, sit next to me, too.” Papá scooted over in the chair so I could squeeze in next to him. "And no, Frankie, I don’t expect the soldiers to come back. But things are going to change for us.” He sighed and looked at Mamá sitting by his feet. "Here, first let me give you this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out Mamá’s wedding ring.
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!”
Read the excerpts from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Excerpt 1 – Chapters 13 and 14"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.Excerpt 2 – Chapter 15 I reached out to touch Frankie. "I have to go, but I’ll try—”"Fine!” He pushed my hand away and slumped back into the seat."He’ll be all right. Give him some time,” George said.Frankie turned his back on me as George closed the door.
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.
What is a topic?
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.
Conclusions based on evidence are called
Read the excerpt from The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez."Hijos, you’ve both heard us talking about how the government wants you to be more active in the revolution.”Frankie and I nodded at the same time."Your mother and I don’t want that for you. We fear that it’ll change you. You’ll begin to accept what they tell you as the truth. We don’t want to lose you to something like that.”"You won’t lose us,” I said softly.Papá smiled and looked over at Mamá. She stared at the floor."You think that now. But Frankie’s young. He won’t even realize it.”
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. "But that’s about all I have.” He looked down. "I lost my job at the bank.”"Ay, Fernando.” Mamá covered his large hands with her small ones.Papá shook his head. "No, it was expected. It was just a matter of time.”"You’ll get an even better job, Papá,” I said, trying to be positive."It’ll be difficult, Lucy.” He stroked my hair. "The government controls all the industries. We’re going to have to make some adjustments.”"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.”
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.”
What is a theme?
Which element of a text can contribute to the development of a theme?
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