La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon)
Movie Study Guide
Kinnee/Singleton World Lit
Main Characters:
Carlos Reyes (Carlitos)—journeys to U.S. to find his mom
Abuelita—Carlitos’ grandmother, lives in Mexico
Rosario—Carlitos’ mom, lives in L.A. as an illegal immigrant, cleans houses and baby-sits, sends money
and gifts to Carlitos
Enrique—illegal immigrant who helps Carlitos
Paco—U.S. citizen originally from Mexico, in love with Rosario
Study Guide Questions:
1) Where does Carlitos live at the beginning of the movie? Who does he live with?
Mexico w/his grandmother
2) How often does Carlitos talk to his mom? What day does he usually hear from her?
Once a week, every Sunday at 10 a.m.
3) What event forces Carlitos to go find his mom?
His grandmother dies.
4) How does Carlitos make it across the U.S./Mexico border?
He pays two college students to take him across. He has to hide inside a seat in their van.
5) What does Carlitos lose in the car impound yard?
All his money
6) Why does the woman save Carlitos? What family role does she play in his life at this time?
Carlitos is about to be sold to a dealer. She is like a mother; she takes him home and feeds him
and helps him move on to LA.
7) Where is Carlitos when the INS officers show up and illegal workers have to run or hide?
Picking tomatoes
8) What does Carlitos’ mom plan to do to get citizenship and bring her son to the U.S.?
She will marry Paco and get citizenship.
9) Where do Carlitos and Enrique work after escaping the INS raid?
In a café in Arizona
10) How does Rosario react when she finds out that Carlitos is missing?
She is devastated and scared. She plans to return to Mexico.
11) How does Carlitos’ father disappoint him?
He doesn’t show up and take him to LA.
12) How does Carlitos get to L.A.?
He and Enrique take the bus together.
13) Why does Enrique save Carlitos from the police?
Enrique wants Carlitos to find his mom. Enrique has become a father to Carlitos and looks out
for him.
14) How does Carlitos find his mom?
He finds the pay phone that she uses to call him. She shows up when she realizes that if he is in
LA, that’s where he will go since she doesn’t use her home address to send letters.