The Tequila Worm

The power and importance of family tradition rooted in ancestral heritage and religious faith is a main theme of The Tequila Worm. Throughout the story, Sofia engages in, and learns about, the important traditions and rituals that have been in her family for decades, both in the United States and in Mexico, where the family line begins.

For instance, the story begins with the faith that binds the family to their community; their Catholic religion. Sofia describes her First Holy Communion and conveys the importance of accepting the symbol of Jesus into her life. But it is interesting to note that Sofia does not completely swallow the host—she clings to cultural tradition more than to her faith.

Her Catholic faith is also tied to superstition. After the debacle of the communion wafer, Sofia’s shirt is mysteriously returned to her with the pocket sewn closed. In Sofia’s faith, the traditional Catholic mores and rituals are intertwined with Mexican spirituality and magic. These rituals are also something to be questioned and to treat with thoughtful ambiguity until Sofia is otherwise convinced of their value. This concept is further demonstrated with the family’s expression of Christmas. The making of the nacimiento and the delegation of Sofia as the Christmas madrina expresses textually the family’s dedication to religious holidays.