Everyone Leaves Summary

Sometimes in life, you will either be alone or supported by those around you. When you are alone,you have no other choice but to support yourself, But even if you have those who support you supporting you, you have to keep on believing in yourself and supporting yourself as well. You never know when those who are supporting you will stop, In Everyone Leaves, Wendy Guerra reveals that sometimes you’re your own supporter and show its through Nieve’s father, Nieve’s mother, and Alan.
When Nieve was with her father, she was the only one who could help herself. When Nieve’s father beat her for the first time she was back with him, she had to aid herself. Luckily, she knew what to do having experience watching her mother aid herself. Guerra writes, “When he slammed the door and my dizziness passed, I found the rum in the wardrobe and poured it on my head, That’s what my mother does whenever she gets a cut. I only used a little, so he won’t notice.” (42) She learns by watching her mother aid and also gets help after by Chela and Elena, but they can’t do anything about it. Nieve is the

only one who can help herself mentally at that moment. Her father does not feed her nor cares for her. It was sad that he only wanted Nieve just so he could win and also make Nieve’s mother upset. Nieve has to commit action to take care of herself. Guerra writes, “... They reprimanded him because I went to the dining hall alone and asked for food telling the supervisor I hadn’t eaten in two days. They gave me several things, but my stomach’s upset and all I can eat is the egg and rice. I brought the milk home with me for when i go to bed.” (41) She took a stand because she was not going to starve or faint. She disobeyed her father to keep herself in good condition. He may have won Nieve from her mother but he does not care for her.
If you want to be strong, learn how to fight alone.

Nieve’s mother is know to be weak and a coward. Guerra writes, “ My mom visited with me for three hours, until my father showed up and screamed at her that she was crazy and that we had food here. My mom got scared and said good-bye right away.” (46) This shows that Nieve’s mom would not be able to stand up to Nieve’s father. If anyone were to stand up to Nieve’s father it would have to be Nieve. Another moment in the book where Nieve’s mother does not stand up for her is when she follows the orders of the paper she signed. Guerra write, “ she said that if the lawyers didn’t give their permission, she couldn’t let me stay the night because she’d sign a paper that clearly said she wouldn’t do that.” As a mother, yes she has to follow the rules but she should have intentions of actually trying to get Nieve to stay instead of just saying

no.
“Don’t rely on others for your happiness”. Alan was one of Nieve’s “boyfriends” who supported her but then also left her. Alan comes to Nieve’s rescue when he was defending Lucia and Nieve in court. Guerra writes, “ And now, Alan told this story, practically immolating himself for the two of us --- though, in fact, his problem got mixed up with ours --- and all of us came out clean because of the wide path he opened up with his particular jargon.” Alan not only defended himself, but as well as Lucia and Nieve. Now Alan didn’t leave just to leave, he had a reason to leave. But even if that person has a good reason to leave, we shouldn’t rely everything on that person. Guerra writes, “ I went to open the door and it was Alan. He’d come to say good-bye. I couldn’t believe he’d dared to scale our wall. I also can’t believe that I won’t see him everywhere anymore, that he won’t be within my reach. I’ve come to the realization that he always shows me what’s really real, and that I chose to escape to the aseptic cupola where I try to hide, so I won’t feel like i’m in danger.” Here Nieve talks about how she can’t “live” without Alan. Alan makes her realize that he actually shows her what is really real and how life really is.
Your own support is the best support because you never know when someone will end up leaving. Some might say that not everyone is like that and leaves. That some support you throughout most of your life. In the Everyone Leaves, Fausto is one of those people who Nieve feels is supporting her the whole time. Fausto is not legally her father, but he is the father she ever wanted just by the way she talks about him. In every piece of evidence, someone either is supporting her but then leaving her. Everyone that means something to her ends up leaving. Throughout Everyone Leaves, Wendy Guerra makes it clear that no one in the book stays with Nieve. One by one the people in Nieve’s life start to leave and then you start to see a pattern.