Across A Hundred Mountains Essay

The novel Across a Hundred Mountains is told from the eyes of a young Mexican girl named Juana. Juana learns the value of a family after her family is broken. Her family is described as poor but unified. Her family is also observed to be loyal, virtuous and of good ethic which we see in a few of Juana’s actions.
The brokenness began after the tragedy of the loss of Juana’s baby sister. The tragedy drives Juana’s father, Miguel to contemplate the wellbeing of his family; in which he decides to search for a better circumstance in which to raise them in the United States. Although Juana and her mother don’t hear back from Miguel, they continue to hold faith as it is tested throughout the novel.
Juana is overtaken by guilt for consequential events

She watches her mother sacrifice her virtue in order to keep them together, loose her sanity when another child is taken from her and eventually surrender her faith and health. And in the midst of all the chaos Juana learned, “to do what you have to do,” for the sake of your family
In her search family proves to be an important theme. Once, when Juana risks her livelihood to search for her father, leaving her home with little money, and no knowledge of where to find him if he was even alive. Another way the importance of family is emphasized is in the sacrifices of each character for the sake of what they found most valuable, their family. Miguel sacrificed his life in an illegal attempt to cross to the U.S. Lupe; Juana’s mother sacrificed her freedom to kill the man that kidnapped her son.
Although Juana was young when her life took a turn she had already been instilled with values, morals and virtue. This is proven when she misses her bus to help the blind man collect the coins she caused him to drop. Again, when she uses the little money she has to by the woman, whose sun dies on the bus a ticket back home. In another crucial point, Juana prepares the area to pray to the Saints with her mother until she can’t stay awake. These actions help justify the observation that her family was once unified with faith, good ethics and