Luis’s Dream Symbol Analysis

When Luis Rodriguez is a teenager, he has a vivid dream about his half-sister, Lisa, who died as an infant years ago. In the dream, Luis sees that Lisa is crying, and he rushes her to the doctor. The doctors treat Lisa for appendicitis and save her life, informing Luis that, had they operated even a few minutes later, Lisa would be dead. The dream is a poignant symbol for Luis’s desire to help other Chicanos by empowering them and, in doing so, to find a sense of purpose in his own life. Luis is surrounded by death and danger every day in Los Angeles. He wants to protect his friends and loved ones, and he wants to protect himself, too. So it makes sense that, in this dream, he finds meaning in the act of saving his little sister’s life, undoing a tragedy that he’s already experienced.