This story is told by an unnamed narrator, who separates the narrative into two storylines several years apart. The first details events leading up to Laetitia’s departure, while the second takes place a few years later when the narrator and his mother visit Laetitia in the United States. The narrator does not give direct clues when he switches between storylines. Moreover, one of the stories is nonlinear. The story of Laetitia’s decision to leave is not told in chronological order. The story of the Salt Lake City trip, by contrast, is told in chronological order. The parallel storylines provide deeper character development and insight into the motivations of the mother and Laetitia. Both stories reach their climax at approximately the same time. As Laetitia decides to leave for Salt Lake City, the mother and son attract the attention of the media, which finally allows them to pass through the border.

A simile is a figure of speech that compares one thing with something of a different kind to make a description more vivid.