We Were Here

Miguel Castaneda, narrator of We Were Here, describes his mother as white and his late father as Mexican. How do these components of Miguel’s ethnic background impact his sense of belonging in society? 

Consider the informal language and casual tone that Miguel uses to express himself throughout the book. How does this approach to narration influence the reader’s perception of Miguel as a character?

The author introduces this story with Miguel’s account of his entry to the Juvenile Hall Detention Facility. Later in the book, he uses flashbacks to add to information about Miguel’s prior life. Why is this technique effective?