Busy English Bee

Jeanette Abreu March 9, 2010

The Rites of passage Hector Zambrana

Period 1

Bodega Dreams Essay

In the book, Bodega Dreams, Ernesto Quinonez has two characters that catch you in the first two chapters. Those two characters are Julio “Chino” and Willie Bodega. Those two characters are two different from one another, something like a battle of Good vs. Evil in this book. Chino is a young man that was going into high school where is best friend “Sapo” is involved in drugs, fighting and money. Chino has always wanted to get away from the conflicts going on in school and personal life, also meeting Nancy “Blanca” the girl that Chino has an eye for has talked about how he was going to stop his “bad” ways but never happened after high school. Then Willie Bodega comes into the picture and talks to Chino into bringing him back into his old life.

Chino is the main character in the book and voices his opinions on what he observes. Chino in the book talks behind some of the characters’ back for like Blanca and his feelings towards her, he would never say it to her face however; he would tell Sapo instead. But later on in Chino’s life, he gets closer to Blanca by not getting involved in his fighting and drugs. He ends up getting married to Blanca while they are both in college. Chino says in the book “With Blanca next to me, El Barrio seemed less dirty, life less hard, God less unjust” (page 13). By this, Chino mostly says that life is easier for him when he wasn’t involved with Sapo and the violence. Blanca has changed him for the better. Chino symbolizes at the guys at a young age, kind of confused if they should stick to their studies, or try to become “popular” and fight, wanting a reputation. A lot of foreshadowing happens also in the book from what Chino has said like wanting to get to know more about Blanca, and later on they were married.

Willie Bodega is a completely different person compare to Chino. Willie was ALWAYS a drug dealer, causes nothing but trouble but he “helps” people in need. He has done some help for old apartment buildings, making the rent cheaper for citizens in New York City especially in El Barrio. “Willie Bodega don’t sell rocks, Willie Bodega sells dreams” (Page 20) meaning that it’s not only the drug dealing that makes him have to return a favor also.

Both characters meet each other later on in the book about some business going on. Chino doesn’t want to get involved in the gang life anymore and because Sapo has told Chino to talk to Bodega about the “gang” life, Chino is not so sure anymore on what to do. Chino thinks that Bodega is just talking a lot of non-sense, but another side of Chino is thinking that maybe he is doing something good after all.

There is a conflict still going on in the book if it is good vs. evil but in general finding more about a character can really surprise you a lot. The “gang” life is really not necessary, either to be popular or just having a distraction from school and every single day.

Jeanette Abreu November 16, 2009

My community
My community is called Jeanettyville and a lot goes on in my community, ups and downs you might say. My community is a suburban neighborhood but a couple of miles away is a big city. Some people don’t like the big city or they get two things in this town that are benefits. How is the government you might ask? We run in a capitalism government. Everyone is different, from their pays to their houses and jobs. If you do your best in this community, then you get the best in your family and government also. The people in my community mostly spend their days working in the daylight, going to their homes later in the afternoon and enjoying themselves with their families. That is on the weekdays though. On the weekends they can enjoy anything they please that doesn’t involve violence.
My community would grow and change more over time if we get a bigger population in our community, if so we would also supple more space land for the community to increase as well. There are not much people in our community and I would love to increase and help the people in my community. The situation with the money in my community is again if you work your best and toughest, then great opportunities would come your way in this. The money would go well when people try to work their best.