Character Analysis
Francisco has four younger siblings: three little brothers—Trampita, Torito, and Rubén—and one little sister, Rorra. For the most part, we don't learn much about any of these tykes. In fact, they're mainly hanging out in the background, though we do get to learn how they impact Francisco's life.
Sometimes these siblings teach us that Francisco can get really mad—we're talking raging, steam-coming-out-of-his-ears mad. For instance, when wee Rorra steals his prized pennies to buy gumballs, he freaks out like whoa. Other times though, it's obvious that he seriously loves these little guys, like when Torito gets sick and he's worried as can be.
But to be honest, sometimes these little siblings just make more work for Francisco. Take a look at how he feels when he's stuck babysitting his little bro while his parents and Roberto pick cotton:
Once I lost sight of them, I felt pain in my chest, that same pain I always felt whenever they left Trampita and me alone. Sobbing, I climbed into the car and wrapped my arms around Trampita, who slept in the back seat. He woke up crying and shivering from the cold. I covered him with a small blanket and gave him his bottle of milk. He calmed down and went back to sleep.
After several long hours, I climbed onto the roof of the car again to see if Papá, Mamá, and Roberto were on their way back for lunch. (2.2-3)
Francisco has a rough time being left behind to care for Trampita. We're not saying that working in the fields would be any easier (let's be real: that's tough work), but being stuck with his little bro has him feeling really lonely. But even though he's angry and isolated, our man Francisco still does the job well—he hugs his brother and knows exactly what he needs when he fusses. Trampita shows us here that his big bro can be a grump, but he's also a pretty good guy.
Francisco's younger siblings may largely hang out in the background of this story, but when they interact him, they help us see his strengths and weaknesses. Not bad for some characters who are still learning to talk.