Allegory for the immigrant experience
In this text, Vargas uses his personal experiences and story as an allegory for the experiences of illegal immigrants in general. In writing this, he hopes to encourage understanding and sympathy in his readers.
Motif- secrets
Secrets are a key motif in this text, as Vargas has lived with a number of them in his life. Firstly, Vargas came out as gay in his senior year of high school, after years of keeping it a secret. Secondly is a secret he has kept for most of his life- the fact that is is an illegal immigrant.
Nationality
Nationality is a key symbol of this text. For Vargas, nationality represents something complex, confusing and elusive as he is technically an illegal immigrant rather than a certified American citizen.
Driving permit
For Vargas, his lack of a driving permit symbolizes his exclusion from American life and his own chosen identity.
Statelessness
The fact that Vargas is essentially "stateless" is a key motif of the text. We learn about the emotional and psychological consequences of this, as it leads to Vargas feeling lonely and displaced.
