Hello, Universe

Folk tales and dreams feature prominently in Hello, Universe. Both offer a symbolic way to access the hopes and fears of the book’s characters. Lola is the family purveyor of folk talks. Aside from her Filipino stories in which children frequently get eaten by crocodiles, she also introduces Virgil to the giant bird of prey known as Pah, the mystical land of Bali, and Ruby San Salvador, the girl who didn’t know her destiny.

In addition to her folk tales, Lola has two prophetic dreams that have a bearing on Virgil’s future. In one, she sees a lonely boy eaten by a large stone, which presages Virgil’s trip down the well. In another dream, Lola sees a giant red tree that eats a boy named Amado. She then tells Virgil to beware the color red. This dream foretells her grandson’s encounter with the red-shirted Chet in the woods.

Valencia is also plagued by a recurring nightmare. She witnesses a solar eclipse, after which everyone around her disappears. This dream reveals Valencia’s sense of isolation and impels her to consult Kaori for the first time, thus establishing the beginning of their friendship.

Although Virgil doesn’t have any dreams, his memories of Lola’s folk tales color his time at the bottom of the well as he lapses between