What are the main themes in the novel Across a Hundred Mountains?

One of the main themes in the novel Across a Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande is the strength of family ties. Juana's father, Apá, travels across the Mexican–U.S. border to "el otro lado," or the other side, in search of a better life for his family. He is motivated to look for a better life, and for the American Dream, after his young daughter, Anita, dies in a flood. Though Juana, who is watching Anita...

One of the main themes in the novel Across a Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande is the strength of family ties. Juana's father, Apá, travels across the Mexican–U.S. border to "el otro lado," or the other side, in search of a better life for his family. He is motivated to look for a better life, and for the American Dream, after his young daughter, Anita, dies in a flood. Though Juana, who is watching Anita during the flood, blames herself for her sister's death, Apá puts the blame on himself. He tells Juana, “It was my fault, Juana. I should’ve worked harder to get us out of there. I should’ve worked more hours, and little by little I could’ve built us a better house closer to town" (page 18). Apá dedicates himself to working to provide for his family, and he travels across the border to help them. Nineteen years later, Juana also decides to cross the border to look for her father, as she feels the tug of family and a deep commitment to them.

Another theme of the book is the way poverty defeats Juana and her family. Juana's mother, Amá, is crushed by the deaths of her children. The author writes:

"María died from a scorpion sting because they didn’t have enough money for a doctor and the healing woman couldn’t save her. Josefina died before leaving her mother’s womb. It was as if she had given up on life, even before she was born. One day she loosened her hold and was stillborn at four months" (page 19).

Amá's life has been incredibly cruel; her family is so devastated by poverty that one of her children died because the family didn't have access to medical care, while the other died in a flood. She lost another child while pregnant, and she is about to lose her husband, who must go north to the United States to find a better life for his family. She eventually turns to alcohol as a result of her sorrows.

Amá tries to find relief in religion, but it is of little solace to her. The author writes of Anita's funeral service:

"Juana looked through the cloud of incense smoke at her mother and father. They were holding on to each other and praying along with the neighbors and her father’s distant relatives. Four years ago, when her other younger sister died from a scorpion sting, Amá and Apá had held on to each other like now, but Juana had been put in between them, so they could share their grief as a family" (page 17).

The cloud of incense smoke obscures Juana's vision rather than helping her cope with the loss. While her parents seek relief in religion, which is another theme of the book, faith alone does not heal their deep wounds that have been caused by their life of privation and poverty.