Round 1
- Create a Character Wheel for Sapo, Chino, and Blanca
- Why are nicknames important at Chino's school? How do students get them? Do you have a nickname? What is it? How did you get it? What does it mean to you?
- Who was Julia de Burgos? Why was Chino's school named after her?
- What are the major differences between the white and Hispanic teachers? In your opinion, what makes a good teacher?
- Why is is fighting important in Spanish Harlem?
- Research Spanish Harlem on the net. Where is it located? What is its history? What race of people live there? Include a picture of the neighborhood.
- Who were the Futurists? Why was Chino interested in them?
- Describe Willie Bodega. Why is Chino interested in him?
- Why does Chino put his life in danger for Sapo?
- How does Chino feel about Blanca's church? Why?
- On pg. 17 Blanca says, "But his friends are not your friends. His friends don't have friends." What could this foreshadow?
- Create a character wheel for Deborah/Negra, Nene, Bodega, and Nazario
- What is Bodega doing to the neighborhoods in Spanish Harlem? Why? What is his goal?
- Who were the Young Lords? What did they do?
- On pg. 33, Bodega says, "The eternal hustle, Chino. The decision to either be a pimp or whore, thass all you can be in this world." What does he mean? How does this quote relate to his dream?
- Why does Bodega want Chino on his team? What does he want him to do?
- Why does Chino turn down Bodega's offer?
- Why does Sapo get upset with Chino?
- Who is Vera?
- How is Vera connected to Bodega?
- Why does Chino change his mind about helping Bodega?
- Why does Sapo like working for Bodega?
- What does Bodega's request to have a sacrifice done by Dona Romanita show about his spirituality and/or culture?
- What does Dona Romanita foreshadow about Vera?
- Why doesn't Victor want to go to the nearest hospital?
- Both Blanca and Chino are willing to do illegal things. What are they? How are their intentions different?
- How did Negra get a reputation for knowing information?
- What is Chino's first impression of Nazario?
- Define metaphor and simile.
- On pg. 70 The tower tenement buildings are compared to prisons. Explain this metaphor. Why does it work? Why is there a higher crime rate in The Towers?
- On pg. 73 Chino describes El Barrio using a metaphor. What is the metaphor? What effect does it give? What is the simile? What does it mean?
- Write a poem about your neighborhood using similes and metaphors.
- How did Bodega get control of Spanish Harlem?
- Research on the net: Who was Batista? Who was Fidel Castro? Why did upperclass Cubans escape to Miami?
- Who were the Young Lords? How were they similar to the Black Panthers?
- Why is Chino so concerned about the death of Alberto Salazar?
- Who do you think bit Salazar? In what chapter was this incident foreshadowed?
Round 1
- What do we learn about Sapo from the flashback in this chapter?
- Why did Tapia tell Sapo to lie? Do you think Sapo's actions were justified?
- Why is Blanca so concerned about the death of Salazar?
- Why does Nazario make Chino nervous?
- How did Nazario help Bodega to get a lesser prison sentence?
- What does Nazario mean by the quote on pg. 103, "Everyone's a thief. Crime is a matter of access."?
- Do you think people will steal if given the opportunity?
- What is Bodega's Program? Do you think the Program is a good idea? Will it work or not? Explain. What is Nazario's role in Bodega's Program?
- Why does Nazario take Chino to the salsa museum?
- Why doesn't Bodega want people to know his face in the neighborhood?
- How does Chino figure out he's been set up at the meeting with Vera?
- Why do you think Bodega included Chino in the meeting with Vera?
- Why did Bodega have Salazar killed?
- On pg. 116, why does Bodega retell the story about Napoleon's woman Josephine? What do think is being foreshadowed?
- Create a character wheel for Vera.
- Why does Bodega show Vera his buildings and the art gallery?
- What does Vera want to learn to do? Why do you think she has a sudden desire to do these things?
- What does Vera give Chino? Do you think he should give it back? What should he do with it?
- Evaluate Chino and Blanca's beliefs. Compare and contrast their ideas about whether or not to give back the ring. What are two of Chino's main arguments? What are two of Blanca's? Write an argument for or against giving back the ring, based on Chino or Blanca's reasons.
- How does the image of Nazario walking out of the fire on pg. 144 compare to Chino's thoughts of Christ on pg. 139? What does fire symbolize? What does the fire mean?
- How does the fire help Bodega's program?
- What does Nazario ask Chino to do?
- Complete Chapter Analysis Log for Round 6 and Round 7
- On pg. 159, Nazario says, "as long as Latino kills Latino, we'll always be a little people." What does he mean? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
- Research on the net: Manifest Destiny. What was it? Do you agree or disagree that it was "theft"?
- How are Nazario and Bodega transforming themselves? How is it different from Chino and Blanca's plan? Which do you think will work?
- Why doesn't Blanca want Claudia and Roberto to elope? What does this show about her character?
- Why is it important to Bodega to have Vera confront her husband?
- Why do you think Chino gives the ring to Bodega?
- How does Chino find out who killed Salazar?
- Watch this video of a police interrogation . One cop is the friendly type and the other is the hard, not so friendly type. How does this relationship cause the suspect to break down in the end?
- What makes Ortiz the "good cop" and DeJesus the "bad cop"?
- Do you think police interrogations are fair? How might they violate a person's rights? Write about an experience dealing with the police or your view of police interrogations or harrassment.
- Why does Blanca leave?
- What does Negra want Chino to do?
- What do you think Chino will do?
- How does Sapo convince Chino to go with him to meet Vera's husband?
- What does Vera's husband reveal about her?
- What does Vera do to her husband? Why?
- Why did Vera have Bodega's gun? What does this mean for Bodega?
- What does Chino tell the cops?
- Why does Nazario put the blame on Bodega?
- What does Blanca reveal about Vera?
- What was Nazario and Vera's plan?
- Who won out in the end?
- What was lost?
- How are Sapo and Bodega similar?
- Why did Chino rat on Nazario and Vera? Do you agree or disagree with his choice? Explain.
- What do you think will happen to Sapo, Chino, and Blanca? Why?
- What does Chino's dream mean about the future of Spanish Harlem?
Essay Topics:
Character Analysis:
On page 13, Quinonez writes, "although most of [the Futurists] were, like their leader, Marinetti, from upper-middle-class backgrounds and not from the slums like myself, I liked them because I could relate to their anger. I realized by reinventing culture, they were reinventing themselves. I wanted to reinvent myself too. I no longer wanted the world to be just my neighborhood anymore."
How has Chino changed his identity throughout the story? What was he like in the beginning? How does he act in the end? What kinds of lessons has he learned?
Write a 2 to 3 page essay with a clear thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion responding to these questions.
Theme Essay:
Teenage Crime in Spanish Harlem
