Kendall McRae post 3

After reading the novel, I have come up with the theme that "Sometimes, giving up things important to you are necessary for freedom." Juan along with Raul and Andres, as well as Alberto had to give up many special things to them in order to make it to the Florida Keys. Juan had to leave his career as a teacher and his old world in Cuba. He also had to lose Raul and Andres, who gave their lives to freedom, in order to make the crossing. Alberto had to give his life, and in doing so also gave up his future love, in order to save Juan from the hungry grasp of the ocean and find inner enlightenment. As said by Juan on page 158 "It had been normal, he thought at first, to give part of his life, part of himself, to them so that the rest might be preserved. Surely everyone did this." Juan had to face near death to achieve freedom; he had to give up his old life to develop a new one.