How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"La frontera" is a word I often heard when I was a child living in El Rancho Blanco, a small village nestled on barren, dry hills several miles north of Guadalajara, Mexico. I heard it for the first time back in the late 1940s when Papá and Mamá told me and Roberto, my older brother, that someday we would take a long trip north, cross la frontera, enter California, and leave our poverty behind.
I did not know exactly what California was either, but Papá's eyes sparkled whenever he talked about it with Mamá and his friends. "Once we cross la frontera, we'll make a good living in California," he would say, standing up straight and sticking out his chest. (1.1-2)
Right from the start, we know that Francisco's family wants a different life when they get to California. And the big change they're looking for is to get out of poverty. How do you think Francisco and his family are defining poverty here? It certainly seems to be about having enough money to live, since Papá mentions wanting to "make a good living in California." How else do they define poverty?
Quote #2
Noting that Papá had closed his eyes, I turned to Roberto and asked, "What's California like?"
"I don't know," he answered, "but Fito told me that people there sweep money off the streets."
"Where did Fito get that idea?" Papá said, opening his eyes and laughing.
"From Cantinflas," Roberto said assuredly. "He said Cantinflas said it in a movie."
"Cantinflas was joking," Papá responded, chuckling. "But it's true that life is better there." (1.10-14)
When it comes to California, Francisco and his family have big dreams. Sure some of these dreams come from Cantinflas (a famous Mexican movie star) so they're on the exaggerated side—but the idea that they might sweep money off the street gives us a clue about one of the hopes they have for their new life. Francisco and his fam might not expect to get rich, but it definitely sounds like they want a life that isn't defined by poverty. Keep an eye out for ways they reach this dream… and ways they don't.
Quote #3
"He still has a fever," Papá said pensively. "His stomach feels hard. Maybe it's something he ate. If he doesn't get better soon, we'll have to take him to the hospital."
"But we don't have any money," Mamá responded, sobbing and looking sadly at Torito.
"We'll borrow, or… something," Papá said, putting his right arm around Mamá's shoulder. (4.21-23)
Poverty comes in all different shapes and sizes, but this time it means not having enough money to cover health expenses. And that's bad news for Torito. Can you tell just how worried Mamá and Papá are about going to the hospital? Without enough money to pay for treatment, Torito won't make it, but they can't just sweep money off the street either. The family is in a terrible pickle.
Quote #4
"Perhaps you could give us fifty cents for this? Look, it's pure leather; almost brand new," he said, handing it to Papá.
Shaking his head, Papá replied sympathetically, "I am sorry. I wish I could, but we're broke too."
When I heard Papá say "we're broke too," I panicked. My hope for getting a ball of my own that Christmas faded—but only for a second. "It can't be like last year," I told myself.
My thoughts were interrupted by the man's desperate insistence. "Please, how about twenty-five cents?" (6.3-6)
A young couple shows up at Francisco's cabin in need of some help. They don't have any money and the lady is pregnant, so they're hoping to sell some of their only possessions. They're seriously desperate—an all the talk about being "broke" makes Francisco feel super desperate too.
Quote #5
We unloaded the Carcachita, placed some cardboard on the dirt floor, and laid our wide mattress on it. All of us—Papá, Mamá, Roberto, Trampita, Torito, and Rubén, my baby brother—slept on the mattress to keep warm, especially during chilly nights when the freezing wind pierced the canvas walls of our new home.
As Christmas drew closer, the more anxious and excited I became. When December 24 finally arrived, time seemed to stand still. One more day to wait, I thought.
[…] We huddled together and covered ourselves with army blankets we had bought at a secondhand store. I could not sleep thinking about Christmas. Once in a while, Papá's words "but we are broke too" entered my mind, but I pushed them out with fantasies of playing with my very own ball. (6.13-15)
When Francisco and his family set up their new temporary home in a tent just before Christmas, we can tell that money is tight—but Francisco remains optimistic about Christmas gifts anyway. Do you think he's in denial of his family's poverty? Or do you think his optimism works as a pretty cool sign of hope? How else might Francisco's optimism function here?
Quote #6
The shadows cast by the dim light made the circles under her eyes look even darker. As she began to wrap the gifts, silent tears ran down her cheeks. I did not know why.
At dawn, my brothers and I scrambled to get the presents that had been placed next to our shoes. I picked mine up and nervously tore at the butcher-paper wrapping: a bag of candy. Roberto, Trampita, and Torito looked sadly at me and at each other. They, too, had received a bag of candy. Searching for words to tell Mamá how I felt, I looked up at her. Her eyes were full of tears. (6.17-18)
When there's not much money to go around, a holiday like Christmas can be super tough. Remember how excited Francisco was about getting a new ball? That hope deflates pretty quickly when he opens his bag of candy. And he's not the only one who's sad—just take a look at how Robert, Trampita, Torito, and Mamá feel about the whole hullabaloo. We're thinking that this holiday might not be the best one yet.
Quote #7
The contratista tied one end of a thick rope to it and, handing the other end to Gabriel, said, "Here, tie this around your waist. I want you to till the furrows."
"I can't do that," Gabriel said with a painful look in his face.
"What do you mean you can't?" responded the contratista, placing his hands on his hips.
"In my country, oxen pull plows, not men," Gabriel replied, tilting his hat back. "I am not an animal."
The contratista walked up to Gabriel and yelled in his face, "Well this isn't your country, idiot! You either do what I say or I'll have you fired!" (10.36-40)
It's a sad truth, but in this book, poverty can be a pretty demeaning state. So when the contratista orders Gabriel to pull the plow, Gabriel realizes he's being treated poorly—in fact, he feels like the contratista is treating him like an "animal" and that's super insulting. How else do you think the contratista demeans Gabriel in this scene?
Quote #8
"The revolution started that same year."
"What revolution?" I asked.
"The Mexican Revolution," he responded. "I don't know the whole story," he said apologetically. "I didn't go to school, but what I do know I learned from listening to corridos and to your abuelita Estefanía. She told me that during that time, many of the rich hacendados treated the campesinos like slaves."
"Did abuelito Hilario fight in the Revolution?" I asked.
"No, mi'jo. My father died six months after I was born. But your abuelita favored the Revolution, just like all poor people did." (11.9-13)
When Papá tells Francisco about the Mexican Revolution, we learn that poverty isn't just an issue for Francisco's generation—it has had a huge impact on the history of Francisco's family and his home country. Papá learned about the Mexican Revolution through corridos (songs that tell stories from the past) and from his abuelita (grandma)—and part of the history he learns is that poor folks fought to gain more freedom.
Quote #9
When I walked in, I was amazed. I had never been inside a house before. The rug under my feet felt like a sack full of cotton. The living room was warm and as big as the one-room cabin we lived in. The light was soft and soothing. Carl then showed me his room. He had his own bed and his own desk. From the closet, which was half full of clothes, he pulled out a cigar box and several dark blue folders. […]
On the way back to school to catch my bus, Carl said, "When can I come to your house and see your collection?" His question took me by surprise. I never thought he would want to visit me at our home. And after seeing his house, I was not sure I wanted him to see where I lived. (11.19, 26)
Francisco is in quite a pickle. Now that he's seen Carl's swanky pad, he's a wee bit nervous to invite his new pal over to his house because he's worried about how different their two homes are. Even though his family works incredibly hard for what they have, Francisco is worried about the opinion his friend will form if he sees where they live.
Quote #10
After traveling for about five hours, we arrived at our new home in Orosi. It was an old, two-story, yellow wooden house. It was located about fifteen miles outside the city limits. Mr. Patrini, the owner, told us that the house was seventy years old. We could not use the second level because the floors were unstable. The first floor had two rooms and a kitchen. Behind the house was a large barn and hundreds of vineyards. […]
After our prayers, we slipped into bed. I had trouble falling asleep. I can't believe we are living in a house, I thought to myself. (11.36, 42)
For Francisco's family, poverty doesn't mean being without shelter—throughout the book they find shelter one way or another. Sometimes it's a tent and sometimes it's a leaky shack, but most of the time they find some sort of roof over their heads. This is the first house they get to live in though, which makes this place extra special.