How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water

Choose a symbol or motif such as food or storytelling and trace its development throughout the course of the novel. What role does this motif or symbol play in the novel, and how does it connect to deeper themes?

How do the various documents at the ends of each session contribute to the plot structure, and how does Angie Cruz use them to critique American cultural norms? Feature at least three such documents in your analysis.

The novel is structured around the job coaching sessions between Cara and Lissette. How does Cruz use this approach to critique and deconstruct the American institution of work and its role in shaping such concepts as identity, success, and American identity?

Analyze the idiom “to drown in a glass of water” and its related concept, “desahogar” (to undrown) in the context of the novel. How does Cara’s character arc illustrate how not to drown in a glass of water?

Although the novel was published in 2022, it is set during the Great Recession of the late 2000s. What is the significance of the time period to the plot of the novel, and how does this historical context highlight the broader discussion of immigration-related topics in America?

What do the novel’s different versions of motherhood reveal about Cara’s flaws, preconceptions, and sense of identity? How do her struggles—both internal and external—reveal the challenges and responsibilities of motherhood?

How does unprocessed trauma shape Ángela and Cara’s identities and their relationship with one another? To what extent does their trauma drive their behaviors, and how do they resolve their conflicts?

What is the nature of the friendship between Cara and Lulú? What makes their friendship work despite their differences?