Refugee Plot Summary: Isabel's Story
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Refugee by Alan Gratz
By Liane Hicks
Refugee is a historical fiction novel written in 2017 that weaves together three compelling stories of families seeking sanctuary in other countries. Students will see themselves in the young protagonists: children faced with tragic circumstances but who, at their heart, are just kids who love their families and want to live in peace.
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Storyboard Description
Students can create a storyboard capturing the narrative arc in a work with a six-cell storyboard containing the major parts of the plot diagram. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the story in sequence using: Title, Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
Storyboard Text
- ISABEL'S STORY IN REFUGEE
- Cuba to United States
- EXPOSITION / CONFLICT
- "Libertad!"
- RISING ACTION
- Refugee by Alan Gratz weaves three stories into one book. Isabel's story is set in 1994 in Havana, Cuba. Fidel Castro is the dictator of Cuba and the country had fallen into a period of economic crisis after the fall of the Soviet Union. Many were impoverished and wanted to flee to the United States.
- TURNING POINT / CLIMAX
- 1994
- Isabel's story opens with the Maleconazo protests in Havana. Her father is caught protesting and threatened with jail. He has been wanting to escape to "el norte" for a long time and the family (Isabel, her pregnant Mami, Papi, and grandfather Lito) decide they must go. Their neighbors, the Castillos, have been secretly building a boat. Isabel trades her beloved trumpet for fuel and they make a plan to escape.
- FALLING ACTION
- The families set the boat in the Havana harbor. They realize that there are thousands who are doing the same. Isabel's grandfather is the most reluctant to leave his homeland, but they all agree they must to have freedom and safety in America. The journey is not easy. The boat is rickety. They almost collide with a huge tanker, and a storm blows them off course to the Bahamas.
- RESOLUTION
- Because they were blown so far off course, the boat begins running out of fuel. They take turns getting into the water to lighten the weight. Everyone wonders how much longer they can last. Isabel's grandfather keeps sadly repeating "mañana”, remembering another boat that was not able to get its passengers to safety. Suddenly sharks encircle the boat and mortally wound Isabel's best friend Iván!
- The traumatized and devastated families finally see the lights of Miami. Just as they are close to shore, a U.S. Coast guard ship orders them to stop. Heroically, Lito jumps in the water so the police would have to rescue him. Isabel's mother goes into labor and has the baby. The families rush to shore, paddling and swimming. Isabel frantically carries her new baby brother, Mariano, onto the beach of Miami.
- COASTGUARD
- Because of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy, they are allowed to stay and seek asylum in America. Lito's brother Guillermo takes them in until they find an apartment. The adults find work and Isabel slowly adjusts to her new school and learns English. The story ends with Isabel playing the star spangled banner "son cubano" on the trumpet for her new American classmates. She’s grateful to be in her new home but still proud of her Cuban heritage.
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