Nieve Everyone Leaves

In life, people have to depend on themselves, no matter what the circumstances may be the greatest tool an individual will ever need in life is self-reliance; the willingness to do things without the aid of others. Friends and family will not always be there in times of need and whatever troubles or worries that pledge plagues one's life will remain if not dealt with. Within the novel Everyone Leaves, by Wendy Guerra, the main protagonist Nieve learns that an individual is stronger when they rely on themselves rather than others to fix their problems. This novel follows the life of Nieve, a Cuban girl that (who )lives in the rising power of communism during the 70s and 80s. Her diaries expand from all the stages of her life from childhood to

Even in High School, she seems to be more of an adult than an adolescent. Nieve writes," I am my own nurse, my own cook, my own hair stylist, my own psychologist…” (p 139)”. Nieve has always been her own keeper since she was nine, and now at fifteen, she has accepted the bitter truth that, regardless if she has a family or not people have to take care of themselves. Nieve had to deal with the constant abuse from her father and the harassment from Misuco in the educational center. All situations she has gotten out of by her own merit and without the aid of her mother. It seems when Nieve needs the her most she is never there to protect or be present for her daughter. Furthermore, after Nieve is almost crushed by a building near the Angle of Tejadillo Street, she is confronted with the fact that if she has died from that incident, her mother would not have known. Guerra writes, “They asked for a phone number to notify my family, and that's when I realized I didn't have one and that my mother would never even known where the naval hospital is … I definitely know then that I couldn't let anything happen to me on the streets, because no one would find me. I'm strong because I have no one” (p 168-9)”. This statement makes Nieve seem like the parent rather than the child as well as how she does not have a responsible parent in her

Osvaldo promises to take Nieve away from the political turmoil of Cuba to a life in Paris with him. Nieve still tries to believe in people's promises. But over time Nieve is disappointed once more and is left to stand on her own. Guerra writes, “I hope Osvaldo can get me out of her soon. My feelings can only last for a certain amount of time; if they're not cultivated, they'll disappear. I don't trust anyone, I don't wait for anyone. That's how I was raised, and that's how I am” (p 205)". Even Osvaldo, a person Nieve deeply loves disappoints her, all the securities and trust she has put into Osvaldo since Alan’s departure are now eradicated. The people you love the most can leave, and when that does happen getting back up would be difficult without self-reliance. Nieve quickly states that she has a time limit when it comes to trusting people, if Osvaldo is in fact lying about taking her away from Cuba, Nieve will quickly brush that aside because she has cultivated her own stability through not relying on people's words to get what she desires. Being able to stand in case things fail gives a sense of security. Nieve has that security from the way she was raised and how life events shaped her worldview. To further reinforce this idea, Guerra clarifies that Osvaldo dose in fact stay in Paris for a longer period of time. With this Nieve tries to move on from him by using the skills she