Invisible

As the story approaches its climactic conclusion, the same students who began the story by judging and dismissing one another eventually come together as a cohesive unit, for they all share a sense of Kindness Inspired by Adversity that propels them to help Celeste and Lisa and to prioritize that concern over their own interpersonal problems. Their first attempt to provide both mother and daughter with food is a semi-success, although they only narrowly escape Mrs. Grouser’s discipline. On their second attempt, both Sara and Miguel bring food from home, and the group devises a way to get it to Lisa and Celeste without Mrs. Grouser noticing that they are temporarily avoiding work. These incidents serve to turn their endeavors to help into a grand adventure, with both Mrs. Grouser and the systemic prejudice and racism that permeates the school culture serving as antagonists within the narrative structure. In particular, Mrs. Grouser’s habit of constantly hanging over the students serves as a symbol of the manner in which the issues of racism and stereotyping similarly loom over the students’ lives and greatly affect how they are seen and treated. Yet the students’ individual identities are always honored within the novel, for the author’s choice to use the interview as a frame story allows her to depict moments in which the students argue over differences of opinion. Thus, Gonzalez never falls into the trap that the adults in her story always seem to; she never overgeneralizes her five characters into one collective “group character,” for each student is free to interject and assert their own boundaries and opinions within the patchwork narrative.

Nico’s story differs slightly from that of the others’ in that his family enjoys considerable economic privilege; however, his background is still rife with adversity because he broods over the possibility of losing his family and never seeing them again. Like Sara, most of his family remains in his home country, and he can do nothing but wait powerlessly and with constant anxiety as he hopes for their arrival. In some ways, his relative affluence causes him to be judged harshly for his wealth, and he accordingly reacts defensively to such treatment, betraying a hint of arrogance and an occasional mean streak. As the narrative progresses, however, it becomes clear that he, too, feels cast out and misunderstood, although he remains less willing to share this concern with the others due to his desire to keep up his confident reputation.

This desire is part of what propels him to want to do more to help Celeste and Lisa, but even when he acts with enthusiasm about it, George still questions him suspiciously, asking, “Why the sudden interest?” (146). This atmosphere of judgment ultimately leads Nico to ask his aunt if she thinks he’s selfish, but she answers with words of comfort and encouragement. Nico’s contribution to helping Lisa and Celeste is pivotal both for his own character development and for the resolution of the novel’s main conflict; he ultimately suggests a place where Celeste can find stable employment, rather than just giving her a temporary supplement to tide her over. His practical approach to the problem shows that he possesses a sense of wisdom and logic that surpasses that of the other students in some ways.

Overall, the students’ individual characteristics begin to transform and shine through the more time they spend together and the more comfortable they become with confiding in one another. This pattern demonstrates the positive effects of Individual Identity and Group Solidarity, for the narrative shows that being part of a supportive group can encourage individuality and cohesion simultaneously. It is only a matter of time before the students finally become comfortable with who they are and learn to rise above the prejudice that they all regularly experience. George starts to become more comfortable and excited about speaking Spanish, such as when he yells “Wepa!” after finishing the sign for Principal Powell. Dayara notices this and looks over at George with a glint of pride in her eye as she jokes, “Be careful. Because pretty soon they might confuse you with one of us” (128). Sara starts to come out of her social anxiety and speak up for herself, and she also bonds with both George and Dayara, who compliment her on her newfound confidence. Miguel and Nico start to shed their egos, and the initial rude, bullying qualities they showed toward the other students slowly vanish as the group becomes a team and respect builds amongst them all. Without this cohesion, their final efforts to help Lisa and Celeste would never have been possible.