37 pages • 1 hour read
Raina TelgemeierGhosts: A Graphic Novel
Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2016A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
“I’m her sister. I’m supposed to protect her!” (107). These are Cat’s words when Maya nearly dies after their hike to the mission to meet the spirits. As Maya’s older sister, Cat feels a deep responsibility to protect and care for her; this is a source of pride for Cat but also of guilt and inner conflict. When Cat puts her own needs first or fails to protect Maya, she feels that she is not doing enough as a sister. Her parents reinforce this belief, scolding her for taking Maya up the hill without her medication. At one point, Cat lies to other kids about Maya, referring to her as a friend instead of her sibling and failing to mention her disease. Maya feels betrayed by Cat’s actions, but their bond is strong, and Maya forgives her after a heart-to-heart exposes Cat’s need to have her own identity. Although Maya does not do so directly or deliberately, she in many ways lives through Cat, watching as her sister goes trick or treating without her and encouraging her to attend the Day of the Dead celebration when she cannot. The bond that ties Cat and Maya together is eternal and unbreakable, and it is because of their bond that Cat is able to find the courage to confront her fear of death, loss, and change.
The sisters’ bond is strong enough to persist even in death. When they first move to the town, Cat is terrified of the idea of death and the possibility of spirits living around her. Maya, however, is intrigued, wanting to know what will happen when she dies. Because Cat loves her sister and wants her to be happy, she follows Maya on her journey, meeting spirits and making friends with Carlos, a local boy who knows a great deal about the dead. At the Day of the Dead celebration, Cat meets José, a spirit who died when he was eight years old, about Maya’s age. José describes what being dead is like, remarking, “All I know is, they haven’t forgotten me, or else I wouldn’t be here, like this, tonight!” (202). Cat is happy to hear that José is able to visit his family year after year and remain connected to his loved ones. She is also comforted to see that he is happy and free; this reassures her that her sister will have a similar experience. Cat is so relieved by her conversation with José that she introduces him to Maya, who also asks José about death. He is happy to report that it has many benefits. Maya and Cat are equally relieved to know that they can stay together even after Maya dies; her health is worsening, and José eases their fears and anxieties about the loss and changes they both understand are inevitable.
Discovering One’s Heritage
Ghosts centers around a mixed-race family who rediscovers its Mexican heritage after moving to Bahía de la Luna, a town in Northern California richly steeped in Mexican history. The story begins with the family driving to its new home in a new city. When her parents stop at a fast-food burger restaurant on the way, Cat wonders what the family will eat in the new town if her favorite restaurant is not there; she is anxious about losing the friends, daily routines, and places of connection that make her feel at home. While Cat’s father is white and does not have Latino heritage, her mother’s family is Mexican. The family is heavily Americanized. Living in the new town helps Cat and Maya, along with their mother, reconnect with their Mexican heritage.
Bahía de la Luna is a town centered around its people and its history. Spanish explorers established missions in California—New Spain—and forced the area’s Indigenous people to live and work there. After Mexico won its independence from Spain, California was part of Mexico until 1848, when it was ceded to the US after the Mexican-American War. The graphic novel’s fictional town doesn’t acknowledge the area’s Indigenous roots but shows that it was home to several generations of Mexican families, as well as to recent immigrants. Bahía de la Luna is no ordinary town, however; it is also home to the spirits due to its foggy weather. When Cat’s family is invited over to Carlos’s house for dinner, authentic Mexican cuisine is served. Cat loves the food, wanting to eat as much as possible. At the same time, she resists the culture, refusing to shake maracas with her sister. In regard to the townspeople’s belief in ghosts, Cat argues, “It’s just pretend, right? You guys don’t actually believe ghosts come back to visit … right?!” (44). The connection with and respect for the dead is an important aspect of Mexican culture and also represents a deep appreciation for life; Day of the Dead reflects this and acknowledges death as a part of life. Cat soon discovers the importance of this connection, and her experiences with the spirits help her reconcile her fears of her sister’s death.
When the family first moves to Bahía de la Luna, it is distanced from its Mexican heritage. Cat’s mother explains the primary reason for this: “Your abuela and I… didn’t have the best relationship when I was growing up. She brought a lot of old-fashioned ideas with her when she immigrated from Mexico … But I was your typical, stubborn American teenager. I wanted to do things the ‘modern’ way” (57). Like Cat, her mother is especially eager to eat Mexican food, indicating her longing for her roots, and doing so reminds her of when she was young. Cat also rediscovers her heritage through her friends. Seo in particular teaches Cat about the town’s history and the reasons behind the Day of the Dead celebration, helping her understand its importance in connecting the living with their deceased loved ones. Cat relates to the concept on her own level when she discovers La Catrina. When Cat goes to the Day of the Dead celebration on Halloween night, she has many positive interactions with spirits and living humans alike. She dresses up as La Catrina, shakes maracas, and thanks the spirits for their comfort and wisdom.
One key symbol of the gradual reintegration of Mexican culture into Cat’s family is the ofrenda for their abuela. While Cat’s mother initially felt a distance from and resentment for her deceased mother, rediscovering her Mexican heritage helps those wounds heal and helps her remember the happy experiences of her childhood. Maya is the most excited about building the ofrenda and puts the most effort into it, with Carlos’s help. She and Carlos collect flowers to decorate it while Cat watches with distant curiosity. Maya hopes to meet her abuela on Halloween night, but Cat remains skeptical that any such thing will occur. At the end of Halloween night, the family finds a surprise feast awaiting them on the dining table. None of them prepared it, and it is implied that Abuela came back to visit after all. She did not appear in the form of a skeleton; instead, she seems to be the black cat that has reappeared throughout the story. Abuela’s return to her family represents the family’s renewed connection with its heritage as well as showing that Maya will continue to be present in their lives after her death.
Accepting and Adjusting to Change
One of the novel’s themes centers around the protagonist’s resistance to change; she struggles to adjust to new settings and people as well as to the idea of her sister’s death. The story begins as Cat and her family move to a new town at the northern tip of California called Bahía de la Luna. The town is dark, cold, windy, and foggy, and Cat reacts with disdain to the new environment, finding nothing to do but complain. She ashamedly admits that, upon first hearing she would be moving there, she cried, “Ew, I’d rather die!” (6), which did not sit well with her sister and her parents. Cat acts shy and cold toward Carlos, the first person she meets in the town. She grieves the loss of her old life, and, above all, Cat worries about her sister constantly. Over her first few months in the new town, Cat is bombarded with people and experiences that force her to learn to accept and adjust to her new life and the idea of loss.
When Cat is confronted with change or something new, she reacts with either fear or disgust. When her mother suggests that she and Maya go explore their new area, Cat becomes fearful of the howling wind and the creak of the old boardwalk. Upon meeting Carlos, Cat dismisses his claims of ghosts and warns Maya not to trust him. Unlike Cat, Maya is open to change and always curious about that which she knows very little—especially death. It is because of Maya that Cat begins to experience new things, such as meeting the spirits at the mission. Unfortunately, this first experience with ghosts initially creates more fear in Cat, and she admits this to her sister on Halloween: “I never want to see the ghosts again …. The ghosts hurt you …. I’m scared, okay?” (174-75).
To everyone’s surprise, Cat makes new friends when she starts school in the fall. One of these friends, Seo, encourages her to attend various parties and festivals with her. During these events, she teaches Cat about the town’s history and about Mexican culture. When Cat sees how passionate and excited Seo is about the Day of the Dead, she starts to become curious herself. Cat also discovers La Catrina, an iconic figure of the day who shares her name. Without realizing it, Cat is slowly finding her place in the new town and among new friends. Eventually, Cat fully embraces her new surroundings; she attends the Day of the Dead celebration fully dressed as La Catrina, dances with and kisses Carlos and has important discussions with various spirits.
Cat also learns to adjust to the idea of her sister’s death. When she finds out that ghosts are real and live in her new town, she is terrified. Over time, Cat observes the comfort that Maya finds in the existence of these spirits and begins to adopt her sister’s perspective. An especially important shift occurs when Maya talks to José, Carlos’s uncle who died as a child. José is happy and vibrant, despite being dead, and he cheerfully reports that he remains connected to his loved ones through their memories. Cat realizes that she can remain connected to Maya the same way. Maya’s question about whether Cat will be afraid of her when she becomes a ghost, coupled with what Cat learns from the ghosts and the Day of the Dead celebration, begins to change her perspective on death and loss. When the story concludes, Cat is open to new experiences, proud of her Mexican heritage, and welcoming of the spirits who visit her home. Learning to adjust to and accept change helps her find the joy in her life, despite her losses, and prepare for the ways that her family is likely to be transformed.
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By Raina Telgemeier
