The Barbarian Nurseries

One of the three main protagonists of the story, Araceli starts the story as the housekeeper for the Torres-Thompsons. She emigrated from Mexico illegally, but this has become like “carrying a secret so long you forgot you were carrying it” (249). She is generally quiet and introverted and thinks of her life in the US as a “self-imposed exile from her previous, directionless life in Mexico City” (4). The Torres-Thompsons appreciate her hard work but think she is strange because of her stern demeanor.

Like many characters in the novel, she is running from her previous life in Mexico City, where she worked with her mother in a kitchen. Her mother pressured her into quitting art school. An artist at heart, she uses scraps and trash from the house to create art in the guesthouse, where she lives.

She doesn’t particularly like children, but when she is alone with Brandon and Keenan, her protective instincts kick in, and she feels compelled to care for them. Throughout the course of the novel, she learns more about American culture, which often seems counterintuitive to her. She also realizes that she has been running for years and that she is strong enough to stop and stand up for herself.