When the Elephants Dance

The novel begins and ends with the narrative voice of 13-year-old Alejandro. He evolves into a proud young Filipino who, in the novel’s closing paragraph, defiantly proclaims his unwavering allegiance to his native country. He serves as the novel’s thematic center. If neither Isabelle or Domingo, the book’s other two narrators, rise above the brutal circumstances of the war, Alejandro emerges as the best and brightest hope for his family, his country, and his culture.

In the opening section, Alejandro demonstrates that he is anything but a normal boy. He works the bombed-out streets with savvy confidence, bartering for food scraps for his family. Because his father is sick with malaria, Alejandro confidently assumes the responsibility of providing for his family and his neighbors in the cellar. Again and again, he demonstrates his resilience, his resourcefulness, and his keen ability to respond quickly to the ever-changing threats all around him. At the same time, he reveals moments of genuine tenderness; unlike many of his friends, the experience of the war has not calloused his heart. He comforts his traumatized sister after her return from her rape and later reminds a devasted Domingo of his heroic role in the rescue of those trapped in the warehouse.