Importance of food.

When Sierra and Juan go home after he picks her up on his bike, the two siblings eat together. Eating together shows the communion between the two. Sierra also eats with Neville and her father. Her mother does not share this sense of community or communion with anyone, but she does provide nourishment. The author shows this through the fact that she is often cooking and her food not only feeds people, it also feeds the senses. It smells and tastes good. Her status is fitting as she rejects her heritage at the beginning of the narrative and thus the community it creates. However, she nourishes Sierra by letting her wear her hair free, draw, and respecting Sierra’s decision to embrace the role of Lucera.