The Distance Between Us

Initially in the narrative, this phrase refers to a framed photo of Reyna’s father. However, the photo gains weight symbolically, as it represents both hope and resentment for Reyna. Reyna talks to it, pleads for help, and asks it questions, especially as her life in Iguala becomes increasingly horrific.

Because her mother comes and goes, and because of the mistreatment at the hands of her grandmother, Reyna and her siblings expect this father/hero to rescue them.

At other times, Reyna wishes to destroy the photo, angry at her absent father and the irreparable damage he has caused to the family. When he returns to Mexico, and later takes them to California, she discovers that the person in the photo is not actually her father. Eventually she comes to terms with the fact that her idealized version of her father, while having helped to sustain her, is not who her father really is.

Reyna’s childhood exposure to traditional European fairy tales informs the narrative, especially in Book 1. She considers the story of the three little pigs as their house is being built. She relies, too, on the tale of Hansel and Gretel to explain her habit of following bread crumbs her ever absent mother leaves for her.