They hung on to Mama's legs like two children who had just been found after being lost.
-- Francisco, as narrator (chapter 1 paragraph 8)

Importance: The quote is Francisco's description of two of his younger brothers hanging on to his mom as the family stood outside their home waiting to be taken by Border Patrol. The way Francisco describes his younger siblings lets the reader know how upset his family was to be leaving America. Not only were they upset to have been caught after being in the country illegally for ten years, but they had built up a home. The boys younger than Francisco were born in the United States, and they were being taken away from the only home they'd ever known.

I changed the channel to rock 'n' roll, and Papa got upset. He said it was junk and changed it back.
-- Francisco, as narrator (chapter 5 paragraph 1)

Importance: One of the main concepts in "Breaking Through" is the generational gap between...