Abuela Advents The Zero Analysis

As much as you can wish for someone to change, sometimes it is just easier to accept others for who they are and understand that won’t ever change. In Abuela Invents The Zero, the main character, Constancia, has a hard time understanding this and frequently mentally criticises her grandmother for just being the way she is. “I have to help her the climb the steps, and she stops to take a deep breath after each one, then I lead her down the aisle so that everybody can see me with my bizarre grandmother. If I were a good Catholic, I’m sure I’d get some purgatory time taken off for my sacrifice. She is walking as slow as Captain Cousteau exploring the bottom of the sea, looking around, taking her sweet time.” In this thought from Constancia, she shows

I try to walk behind them in public so that no one will think we’re together.” In another one of Constancia’s thoughts, she shows the little respect she has for her grandmother by not walking near her in public. If Constancia initially accepted her grandmother for who she is, then she wouldn’t feel the need to walk behind Abuela, or pretend she doesn’t know her. “They can see right away that something is wrong. Then Abuela points her finger at me like a judge passing a sentence on a criminal. She says in Spanish, ‘You made me feel like a zero, like a nothing.’ Then she goes to her room.” In the eventual fallout with her grandmother, Constancia finally feels the effects of her actions. By being rude to her grandmother and consistently disrespecting her, she made her grandmother feel worthless. This quote reveals to us a point the author was trying to get across- to respect others. Constancia’s lack of respect for her grandmother made Abuela feel worthless. This teaches the reader that it is always important to respect others, to avoid conflicts such as the fallout with Abuela, and many other various