Content Warning: The Symbols and Motifs entry on Masks and Concealment contains references to sex trafficking and rape. Chemicals and poisons are a recurring motif in Prayers for the Stolen. Deadly scorpions and snakes that live in and around Chulavista are defined by their poisons. The herbicide Paraquat is dropped over the surrounding countryside, ostensibly to destroy heroin crops. Much of this, in reality, is simply dumped near the village, as the helicopter pilots are afraid of being shot down if they fly too close to the poppy fields. As <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Character" href="https://www.supersummary.com/prayers-for-the-stolen/major-character-analysis/#315722">Ladydi</a> says, after a drop “we could smell the ammonia scent in everything and our eyes burned for days” (39). The Paraquat chemical is not merely an irritant; it can also blind and kill, and it is only the intervention of her classmates that saves Paula from being killed by it. The chemical also, as Ladydi explains, “would continue to burn through the land for decades” (131). It poisons the local habitat for years and is associated with both respiratory illnesses, as seen in Rita’s cough, and with birth defects, such as Maria’s harelip. Other poisons are used throughout the novel. Ladydi remarks that the house in Acapulco “smelled like rotten lemons from constant fumigations” (128).

Chemicals and Poisons

Television, Knowledge, and Escapism

Masks and Concealment

Gender

Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity

Life & Time

Coming-of-Age Journeys

Emotions & Behavior

Fear

Feminist Reads

Sexuality

Pride Month Reads

Values & Ideas

Safety & Danger

Social Issues

Sexual Harassment & Violence

Literary Area of Study

Women's Studies

Jennifer Clement

Adult

Novel

Fiction

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Book Brief

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About Prayers for the Stolen

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Prayers For The Stolen Summary and Study Guide

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Part 1, Chapters 1-6

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Prayers for the Stolen Part 1, Chapters 1-6 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapters 7-11

Prayers for the Stolen Part 1, Chapters 7-11 Summary & Analysis

Part 2 Prayers for the Stolen Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3 Prayers for the Stolen Part 3 Summary & Analysis

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Prayers for the Stolen Character Analysis

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Prayers for the Stolen Symbols & Motifs

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Prayers for the Stolen

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