Mexican-American identity, and the grey area between Mexico and America, is a prominent theme in the novel. Urrea picks up the nuances of Mexican-American life through each character’s unique perspective on their heritage. Little Angel, who is half-white, is particularly caught up in this duality and the impossibility of living between cultures.

The role of shame in depictions of identity is prominent in Urrea’s work. White people shame Big Angel for being Mexican, while Little Angel’s family shames him for not being Mexican enough. Big Angel reflects on his first six months with a green card, thinking: “And they were making him embarrassed about being Mexican.” (209). Big Angel clings to his Mexican roots, despite decades of life as a legal immigrant in the United States. He is set apart from naturalized Americans by his appearance, his accent, and his memory. Meanwhile, Little Angel lives a dual life: His father and extended family are Mexican, and his mother was white. Though Little Angel can more easily cross cultural borders, living as an academic in Seattle, he is also alienated from his Mexican heritage. On top of that, his family resents him for his ability to fit in among white folks.