Previous
Book 2, Round 9
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Bodega Dreams, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Latinx Immigrants and Broken Dreams
Crime, Wealth and Activism
Religion, Sexism, and Poverty
Loyalty, Solidarity, and Community
Summary
Analysis
Julio arrives home from the police station shaking with fear that Blanca won’t return. He calls her, and she picks up and says that she can’t stay mad at him. Julio promises to never lie again, but Blanca says it’s too late—she’s staying with her mother until the baby is born. Blanca hangs up, and the apartment suddenly feels empty and dark. Negra calls next, reminding Julio that she wants to have Victor beaten up. Julio is annoyed. He wants to keep the line free in case Blanca calls, but she doesn’t. Julio tosses and turns but can’t sleep: he’s scared, and he misses Blanca.
Julio’s growing loyalty to Bodega (and his ongoing loyalty to Sapo) is starting to unravel his marriage, and he is feeling the loss that his actions have caused. Quiñonez also implies that social activism (like Bodega’s plans for improving Spanish Harlem) are not easy to accomplish in a corrupt society because they involve taking personal risks—which can involve painful personal losses.
Themes
