What is the importance of the theme of self-identity in the novel, When We Left Cuba?

When We Left Cuba deals with a variety of themes, self-identity may be the strongest theme in the novel. Even though Beatriz is a Cuban protagonist, she hardly ever speaks or thinks in Spanish. In fact, her knowledge of the English vocabulary is extensive and it’s only her last name and Latin appearance that betray the fact that she isn’t from the United States. Similarly, the advanced English language that Beatriz uses in her speech and narration serve to emphasize both her intelligence, and the fact that she has been displaced from her Cuban homeland both physically and rhetorically. Likewise, the language that characters adopt with each other serves to characterize relationships and identity.

Nick and Beatriz, for instance, have a very private relationship and the way they speak to each other reflects a kind of secret language between them. When she tells him she’s happy, he comments: “you say it like you’re surprised by the emotion” (122). So familiar are they with each other that Nick can read between the lines of the language she uses around him. Similarly, Beatriz and Eduardo have a very close relationship as well, and she thinks of him as a brother. When she speaks to Eduardo, they often communicate more in the looks they share with each other than the words they speak. “Eduardo is staring back at me, his gaze intent, and I understand the look there for what it is” (184). Language in the novel represents what characters mean to each other in the novel.