Faith

While "The Underground Gardens" explores many ideas, the common thread that runs through the story is faith—namely, Baldasare's near-unshakeable faith in his ability to achieve his dreams. "He'd always thought big, even when he was a boy wandering his father's orchards." Recognizing early on that his place in the family assured he would never inherit these orchards, "Baldasare wasn't discouraged—he knew he was destined for greatness." Baldasare initially thinks this greatness will come in a familiar form, as the owner of his own vineyards inAmerica.

The power of his faith is such that Baldasare is not daunted by the tasks necessary to create vineyards in the hard, dry California land. He gets right to work. "He didn't even stop to eat, that first day." Baldasare pursues this first dream with a single-minded passion, fighting the natural toughness of the land with only his pick and shovel...