IR #2 (Prompt 6, Chapter 2)

In this chapter, Miguel and Elena arrive at the Chilean airport and enter the world of danger. The must get through customs without anyone suspecting them. Littin heads to pick up the baggage from the plane while Elena waits. They make the crucial decision to separate while they are checked by customs so there are less problems. Miguel hands the officers his papers and they question why he has two suitcases. He answers quickly that they are for his long trip. Then, from across the room, another officer shouts to check one of the bags, and luckily he picks Littin's bag and not Elena's. They finally allow him to enter Chile, and it is Elena's turn to pass through customs. They question why she has no luggage and proceed to empty her handbag. After an incessant time, both gain entrance and head to the hotel. After settling, Littin leaves Elena and takes a walk through the city he had not seen in twelve years.

If I were to make predictions about Miguel and Elena's trip to come it would probably be very risky. I think that they are going to be put in pressured situations where they are pushed to the limits of their disguises. I also think that officers or government officials will be on to them after awhile and that they might get caught. Elena seems much more stable with the whole situation than Miguel, so I think she will be the safer one. In this chapter, Miguel says "I forgot my clandestine situation and returned for a moment to being myself. I had an irrational impulse to identify myself, to shout out my name, to tell the world it was my right to be home" (Marquez 18). This frightens me a little because he has only been in Chile a few hours and he already is returning to his old recognizable self. I think this will be his downfall and I believe his whole mission is too hard for him to handle.