Political Influence

            In reading the book Dreaming in Cuban, it’s remarkable to see how politics, especially relations with the United States, play such a big role in the plot of the book and the lives of the different characters. In my view, politics are something that a person doesn’t have much control over.  I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t suggest how they believe a country should be run, but have come to realize, through taking various classes and learning about political systems, that the people in charge of politics are the ones who have grown up having the power and have certain connections with those currently in charge.  We citizens of the United States may think our decisions to elect politicians really influence who’s going to be in charge, but in reality, do we have much choice to choose who we want?  I did not think that George W. Bush was the best person to be elected as the last president, and yet I had to learn to live events I didn’t necessarily have control over.  Dreaming in Cuban is a novel that explores these questions of control and power, especially in looking at how different characters support either the U.S. or Cuban governments.

Cuban Sugar Cane Field (Courtesy of Reuters.com)

            In the novel, Celia is a devout supporter of the Revolution in Cuba and is a big fan of El Líder, Fidel Castro.  Her ardor leads her to become greatly involved in the revolution as she cuts field sugarcane for Cuba and serves as the judge for the People’s Court, where she is elected by the people (pages 111-112).  Not only is Celia engaged with doing her duty as a member of the Revolution, she also has a certain affinity for El Líder.  She is drawn by his power, and many times thinks of him as a kind of lover (110).  For Celia, then, power is important as she likes being involved specifically in the role of her country.

            Lourdes, in contrast to Celia, dislikes everything about the Revolution.  In coming to the United States, she has embraced the new heritage she has found, including the possibility of using an “adopted language” and losing all part of Cuba (page 73).  She likes having her own business and relishes the chance to continue expanding, as she opens another Yankee Doodle Bakery (page 138).  Lourdes is also a little obsessed with other “American” traditions, such as barbecuing everything and participating in various holiday customs like the annual Thanksgiving DayParade (page 137).  Lourdes, then, is drawn in with the chance she has to control her own life.

            Despite the power both Celia and Lourdes plug into, though, their political dreams and preferences interfere with the happiness of the extended family.  Celia has a tough time coming to terms with her husband Jorge’s death, and suffers various mental breakdowns, such as when Lourdes and Pilar find her sitting motionless on her porch upon their arrival in Cuba (page 217).  Lourdes, too, never seems to be happy with her family since coming to the United States, as Pilar is a rebellious child and Rufino spends his time working on various inventions (page 20).  In this way, then, the unhappy circumstances that both of these women find themselves in relate to something they don’t really have control over, or the different political establishments in both nations and the long-range effects they have on various citizens.