Riser has a master's degree in English literature and teaches high school English. In the following essay, she discusses themes and historical context in Among the Volcanoes.

In Omar Castaneda's Among the Volcanoes, the main character, Isabel Pacay, is a typical adolescent girl, faced with issues similar to those of many teenagers the world over: She has boy problems, family pressures, a deceitful best friend, dreams and fears for the future. However, she also is placed in a setting where she experiences a variety of conflicts, some of which she is conscious of and some of which she is too isolated or too young to see. These can be seen through the historical context, the themes, and the imagery Castaneda employs.

It is useful to put the novel in its historical context in order to better understand Isabel's situation. While knowing the history is not necessary to...