Chapter 40 Summary

Tony and Carlos leave their family behind the glass window and board the airplane to America at sunset. From the airplane, they see the Cuban countryside below for the first and last time. They see the island shaped like a lizard become smaller and smaller. It is very, very green with palm trees that look like cocktail toothpicks. They see the white clouds and the big, big sea. The sea is bigger than Carlos ever imagined it to be, and they see the setting sun. It is tangerine-colored. After that, there is no Havana, only sea below them. They start to think about being able to drink cola and chew gum again.

Chapter 40 Analysis

As Tony and Carlos leave their parents, they die inside. The plane takes them away from Cuba, and all that is left inside is a silent void. When they...