Infinite Country

The practical reliance upon religion is pronounced throughout the book. Does the author express any preference for any of these religions or belief systems? Do any of them seem to work better than others to help the characters? What is the difference between superstitious practices and religious rituals?

Talia and Karina are two sisters raised in two separate cultures. Both are smart and resourceful. How are they different? Is one more hopeful than the other? Can you picture Karina pouring oil over the head of the stranger who killed a kitten as Talia did? How is Karina’s cynical self-doubt like or different from Talia’s brooding about her inner darkness?

Why do so many of the characters keep important secrets throughout the story? When Elena confesses to Karina that she was raped, she says she is telling her because she wants to defend her from silence. What does she mean?

Why does Engel repeatedly use unfamiliar Spanish words like “cumbia” or “Nochebuena” in the midst of sentences, particularly when she is describing Colombian cultural perceptions? Is Engel asking something more of her English-speaking readers by doing this? Is she expressing a message to readers, and if so what is that message?

While she portrays some US natives as kind and generous, in general Engel depicts them as being oblivious, bigoted, and ignorant when it comes to the cultural situation faced by immigrants. Assuming Infinite Country is an accurate account of what an immigrant family might face, would the typical US reader be surprised by this depiction? What message is Engel sending to readers?

At several points in the book, Engel’s characters express that there is no real virtue in preferring one nation over another in that every American nation has a history of violence, corrupt leadership, and inherent uncertainty. Is this merely the cynical moodiness of disappointed characters or is it actually the case that US exceptionalism is overblown? Does the United States turn out not to be the paradise Mauro and Elena were seeking because they are illegal aliens, because it is especially inhospitable to immigrants, or because it is just as flawed as any other nation?

Throughout the book, there are warnings not to trust anyone but close family members. However, once Elena and Mauro overstay their visas, they are constantly put in the position of trusting strangers, often fellow illegal aliens. Talia gives limited trust to three strange men, seeming to know when it is time to depart from each. Are the unwritten rules of trust different for illegal immigrants like Elena and Mauro than for ordinary citizens? Does there have to be some tangible benefit for a stranger before that person betrays the trust of another?

Mauro and Talia at different times feel that Colombia is the natural place for them—the place they belong. At the same time, Karina feels there is no place she belongs; she is thoroughly inculcated in a culture that does not accept her. Considering there are millions of individuals like Karina, born elsewhere, culturally integrated into the United States, yet made to feel unwelcome, is it possible not to belong anywhere? How can such individuals make a home for themselves and lead fulfilling lives?