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Officer Moore
Carlos is a thin, tired-looking Mexican-American boy who often wears a hoodie. He transfers to Jerome’s middle school from San Antonio because his mother is pregnant and his father took a higher-paying job in Chicago to support the growing family. On his first day at Jerome’s school, their obtuse teacher Mr. Myers introduces him at the front of class, singling him out and making him a target for bullying. After Jerome takes pity on Carlos and greets him, Carlos asks to eat lunch with him and the boys decide to become friends. Shortly after, bullies Eddie, Mike, and Snap find the boys and begin beating them up—until Carlos pulls out a toy gun, scaring away the bullies by convincing them the gun is real. Overjoyed to have a friend, Carlos finds Jerome after school and insists that he borrow the toy gun for the day. When Jerome is shot by a white police officer, Officer Moore, who mistakes the toy for a real firearm, Carlos is wracked with guilt. He takes over walking Jerome’s little sister Kim to and from school along with Jerome’s Grandma and sets up a memory altar to Jerome in his bedroom. With encouragement from Kim and Jerome’s forgiving ghost—which Carlos can sense, though not see—Carlos admits to his father and Jerome’s Grandma that he gave Jerome the toy gun. At the novel’s end, he has become like an older brother to Kim and a second grandson to Grandma, and his family is celebrating the Day of the Dead with Jerome’s family at Jerome’s grave.
Carlos Rodríquez Quotes in Ghost Boys
The Ghost Boys quotes below are all either spoken by Carlos Rodríquez or refer to Carlos Rodríquez. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Alive (p. 35–44)
Quotes
“In San Antonio, school’s always trouble. Everyone fights. Everyone’s afraid. I hope it’s better here.”
The tuna’s dirt dry. I almost choke. “We fight here, too,” I say, honest. “That’s why we have security guards. Metal detectors.”
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“You’re nothing in Chicago. Say it.” Snap twists Carlos’s arm. “Say it, ‘I’m nothing.’”
Alive (p. 75–80)
Quotes
I’m always good. (Teasing Kim doesn’t count.) I say what Grandma wants to hear. Calm her and Ma. Watch out for Kim. Play Minecraft for just an hour. (Okay, sometimes two.) Do my homework. Even act nice when Mr. Myers isn’t asking me (he’s asking the whole class!) to welcome the new kid. Sucker. That’s me. Why can’t I have some fun? Pretend I’m a rebel in Rogue One?
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Dead (p. 85–191)
Quotes
Strangely, courtroom benches remind me of church pews. Long, hard, polished wood.
“I was ashamed.”
“Never be. You’re a good son. Everyone gets scared sometimes. It’s how you handle it that matters.”
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“Can’t undo wrong. Can only do our best to make things right.”
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Get the entire Ghost Boys LitChart as a printable PDF.
Carlos Rodríquez Quotes in Ghost Boys
The Ghost Boys quotes below are all either spoken by Carlos Rodríquez or refer to Carlos Rodríquez. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Alive (p. 35–44)
Quotes
“In San Antonio, school’s always trouble. Everyone fights. Everyone’s afraid. I hope it’s better here.”
The tuna’s dirt dry. I almost choke. “We fight here, too,” I say, honest. “That’s why we have security guards. Metal detectors.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“You’re nothing in Chicago. Say it.” Snap twists Carlos’s arm. “Say it, ‘I’m nothing.’”
Alive (p. 75–80)
Quotes
I’m always good. (Teasing Kim doesn’t count.) I say what Grandma wants to hear. Calm her and Ma. Watch out for Kim. Play Minecraft for just an hour. (Okay, sometimes two.) Do my homework. Even act nice when Mr. Myers isn’t asking me (he’s asking the whole class!) to welcome the new kid. Sucker. That’s me. Why can’t I have some fun? Pretend I’m a rebel in Rogue One?
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Dead (p. 85–191)
Quotes
Strangely, courtroom benches remind me of church pews. Long, hard, polished wood.
“I was ashamed.”
“Never be. You’re a good son. Everyone gets scared sometimes. It’s how you handle it that matters.”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Can’t undo wrong. Can only do our best to make things right.”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
