Structure

The memoir is structured in four parts, which are named more or less after the major moments and phases in Claudia’s life. Part I, titled “Life in Paradise, Also Known as Hell,” is dedicated towards a retelling of Claudia’s childhood in poor, rural Guatemala. The title of Part I immediately alerts the reader to the fact that Hernández sees mixed blessings in her childhood, which for her is simultaneously “paradise” and “hell.” This is then followed by Part II, “Our Journey to El Norte,” in which Claudia chronologically follows the movements and route that Claudia and her family followed during their journey from Mayuelas to Los Angeles. Part III, “The Promised Land,” describes Claudia’s life in Los Angeles as she struggles to adjust to her new surroundings. Part IV, “Returning to My Motherland,” is the shortest Part in the memoir and describes a...