How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
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.