A Dream Called Home

Reyna’s father is a deeply traditional man who believes that manhood is synonymous with being a provider. He leaves his wife and children in Iguala to look for work in the US, with the goal of earning enough money to build his family a dream house. He succeeds in building them a house, but he tears his family apart in process: He and Reyna’s mother get divorced, and years later, his second wife pressures him to renounce his children. Reyna’s father was abused by his parents. As a result, he moved out at the age of 17 and eventually became an abuser himself. Despite his limited education, he pushes his children to work hard in school, believing education is the best path to a better life. His attitude changes when Reyna’s siblings drop out of school. Natalio is an alcoholic who struggles with English and does manual work for low pay his entire life. He dies shortly after being diagnosed with liver cancer in 2010.

Reyna’s mother Juana is a Mexican immigrant who prioritizes her own well-being over that of her children. She leaves her children in the care of their abusive grandmother in Iguala to join her husband in the US, exacerbating their trauma. She returns to Iguala after the divorce, only to leave her children a second time to pursue a romantic relationship with a man in Acapulco. Reyna’s mother does not openly express love and affection for her children. She also gives up on her children when parenting becomes difficult, sending Betty to Mexico when she acts out in high school. She cobbles together a living doing odd jobs, including selling goods at a booth at the swap meet. Only after attending Reyna’s book presentation at UCSC does she take an interest in her daughter’s writing.

Mago is Reyna’s older sister. She is a college drop-out, a wife, and the mother of three children. Mago goes from being open and social to living a more reclusive life after she gets married. Unlike her parents, she stays in her unhappy marriage for the sake of her children. Mago supports Reyna emotionally, offering her advice about her job, her wardrobe, and her romantic relationships. Save for a brief period in their teens, Mago and Reyna remain close throughout their lives, spending holidays together with their families. 

Carlos is Reyna’s older brother. He dropped out of college to get married at the age of 23. His marriage, though short-lived, causes lasting damage. Carlos is generous with his family. He lets Reyna live with him, his common-law wife, and their infant free of charge after she graduates from UCSC. He enjoys teasing his siblings, laughing with Mago when Reyna struggles to find work, and calling Cory a serial killer because he is white.

Betty is Reyna’s troubled younger sister. She is an American citizen, which makes Reyna feel inferior. The abuse she endures at home causes her to act out: She has sex with older men, talks back, drops out of school, and becomes a teenage mother. Betty tries to live up to Reyna’s expectations after moving to Santa Cruz, but she soon goes back to her old ways. Despite her challenges, Betty eventually finds her own path, earning her high school degree and becoming the kind of mother she never had. 

Francisco is Reyna’s post-college boyfriend and the father of her son, Nathan. He is 15 years older than Reyna and professionally unambitious, working as a truck driver and spending his free time dancing. His dark skin and rough hands remind Reyna of her father. Francisco has five children with five different women, including Reyna. Reyna admires his sense of adventure. However, he cheats on her with other women, takes advantage of her financially, and orchestrates their reconciliation by stealing her dog. Although he attends Nathan’s birth, he eventually fades from Reyna’s life, as he did with previous girlfriends. 

Cory is Reyna’s husband and the father of her daughter, Eva. He has a BA and MFA in theater, but he gave up acting for the stability of teaching. Cory is tall, blond, and of Finish ancestry. Reyna’s first novel resonates with him because his grandfather immigrated to the US, changing his surname to make it easier for Americans to pronounce. In contrast to Reyna, who had a traumatic upbringing, Cory was raised in a beautiful, loving home in Racine, Wisconsin by his mother and stepfather. He is non-judgmental, even when he sees extreme poverty in Iguala. Most important, he admires Reyna’s tenacity, recognizing that it makes her unique.

Diana is Reyna’s professor and mentor at PCC. She takes Reyna in after her father is arrested for spousal abuse, letting her live in her home for four months. Diana is the first to tell Reyna she has a talent for writing. Thus, it is because of her that Reyna majored in creative writing and became a writer. Diana encourages Reyna to apply for academic scholarships, advises her to go to UCSC and not a larger school, and introduces her to works by Latino authors. Reyna pays tribute to Diana at her graduation from UCSC, reading an essay about the positive influence she had on her education and presenting her with a Distinguished Teacher Award.

Marta teaches Chicano literature at UCSC. Like Diana, she is an important mentor for Reyna, nurturing her talent and encouraging her to write about her reality, even when others criticize this choice. Marta helps Reyna become more confident in her writing by comparing her work to successful Latino authors. She introduces Reyna to a writer’s group of Latina students on campus, which leads to student publications and public readings. She also supervises Reyna’s first collection of short stories, encourages her to adapt her work to the stage, and teaches Reyna Spanish for Spanish speakers. Most important, Marta helps Reyna accept her dual identity by making her realize that being Mexican and American is a strength that makes her distinctive.

Micah is a tenure-track professor in the Creating Writing Department at UCSC. Like Diana and Marta, she mentors Reyna and nurtures her writing talent. Micah understands Reyna’s culture. During an independent course, she advises Reyna to write the book she wants to read. She also supervises Reyna’s senior project, which later becomes her first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains.