“Here I count only a dozen sheep, moping in the massive pasture—if you can even call it a pasture. The grass was once green, I’m pretty sure, but is now the color of swamp water, and crunchy.”

Carol’s description of the land being the color of “swamp water” conveys her initial disdain for the ranch. Later, she grows to love her family’s ranch, and this evolution mirrors a broader change in Carol toward embracing pride in her Hispanic identity. In addition, her initial description of the land characterizes the devastation that the drought has wrought on it.

“‘Yes, I know,’ Serge snaps. ‘Carolina. And Luis.’”

Raúl has just introduced “Carol” and “Lu” to his father. Serge’s angry tone and his correction illustrate his disapproval of his grandchildren’s anglicizing their Spanish names. Serge is proud of his family’s Mexican roots and believes that his family should share this pride in their identity.

“Her bloodshot eyes droop at half-mast, and her fur is peppered white and gray around her snout.”

Serge’s elderly sheepdog, Inés, mirrors his advanced age. Inés, like Serge, is influenced by the remaining magic from the destroyed magical tree: Both the dog and her owner live an unusually long life. Raúl doesn’t believe that Inés is the same dog he knew throughout his childhood, revealing his skepticism about Serge’s story of the magical tree and the enchanted village.