Mixed-Heritage

Every character’s backstory provides insight into how people have to come to terms with the duality of their mixed heritage to truly find themselves. Enrique and Hypnos, in particular, are the ones that deal with this challenge the most. Both of them must overcome countless social stigmas to grow, just because they look a little different than those of their race might expect.

First, Enrique’s struggles with his mixed-heritage are centered more around alienation from the people he should be closest to. At the very beginning of the novel, Enrique speaks with Marcelo, “a member of the Ilustrados, a group Enrique had joined because, like him, all the members were European-educated Filipinos who dreamed of reform to their Spanish-controlled country” (62). Not only is there a shared heritage between Enrique and the other members of the Ilustrados, but they share a common goal. This should...