Secret of the Andes

“‘Yes, you see them. People!’ The young voice broke in wonder. The whispered echo, ‘People,’ like a smoke ring from a campfire, circled upward, getting larger, getting fainter, until it misted in the cold, blue air.”

This quote uses imagery to show Cusi’s yearning for connection and belonging. A smoke ring is delicate and fleeting, much like Cusi’s connection to the outside world and the people he sees. As the ring “circled upward, getting larger, getting fainter,” it symbolizes how the idea of other people—and the possibility of human connection—feels distant and faint in Cusi’s life. The echo fading into the “cold, blue air” emphasizes the emotional distance between Cusi and the broader world. Despite seeing others, they remain far removed from his reality, much like the smoke that dissipates into the sky.

“When [the llamas] were resting, they chewed their cuds and looked at him. They understood his words and his moods.”

In the absence of human companionship early in the novel, the llamas become his surrogate community, offering him a sense of belonging in an otherwise isolated existence. Cusi’s bond with the llamas reflects his need for understanding and connection, even if it comes from animals rather than people. This relationship emphasizes Cusi’s isolation—his only consistent companions are animals, not people—but also shows his desire for belonging and the lengths to which he goes to fulfill that need. The llamas are his emotional support, understanding his “words and moods,” symbolizing a form of community that he has created within the natural world.