Characters

“Say You” by Sara Collins includes both individual characters and collective characters. The most important individual characters are Jewel and Abel. The collective characters are those of the local girls and the Cuban men. They are mostly relevant to the social setting, which we discuss in detail in the next section.

Jewel lives on an unspecified island between Cuba and the US. During summer, a group of refugees heading to the US arrive, including Abel. She and Abel start a relationship. When Abel tries to convince her that they have no future together, Jewel refuses to accept it, convinced that their love is real. The way Abel ignores Jewel at the end suggests that he is unwilling to assume any responsibility for their relationship.

In what follows, we will focus on Jewel’s and Abel’s characterisation, also considering their relationship.