Return to Sender

The motif of patriotism surfaces throughout the book; for example, Tyler is asked to carry the flag and lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the town meeting. Sometimes these instances of patriotism are ironic and subtly prompt the reader to consider the ramifications of US law and America’s attitude toward immigrant workers, thus supporting the theme about recognizing a higher justice. For example, Tyler reflects that one of the names his family considered for the farm was Patriots’ Farm. It is fortunate that Sara rejected that name, he thinks, envisioning headlines in the local paper like “PATRIOTS’ FARM RAIDED FOR BREAKING THE LAW” (56). Mari appeals to the president of the United States in an unsent letter, asking for understanding and help for families like hers; she also visits the White House and other sites in Washington, DC, after collecting her mother from the coyotes. Just before Memorial Day, however, the president appears on TV to announce National Guardsmen at the border and the construction of a border wall to keep undocumented immigrants out.

For Memorial Day, Grandma helps the church prepare flags for veterans’ graves; after the girls’ parents are taken into custody, though, she calls someone else to collect and place the flags as she no longer “has the heart to celebrate anything today” (274). Mr. Rossetti concurs, unable to play his instrument for the town’s Memorial Day gathering. Mr. Rossetti still wants the girls to “see the proud face of America” (275) on Memorial Day, so he and Grandma take them to the cemetery to see the flags on the veterans’ graves; ironically, though, they must visit at night to avoid the girls being seen and potentially taken into custody.