Patron Saints of Nothing

by

Randy Ribay

Angel is Jay’s twelve-year-old cousin, Grace and Jun’s sister, and the daughter of Tito Maning and Tita Ami. Angel is friendly, talkative, and deeply interested in Jay’s life in America. Although she and Grace appear to defer to Tito Maning’s authority in all matters, Jay later discovers that they’re secretly rebellious. For instance, Angel helps Jay when he’s looking for the letters that he believes Tito Maning stole, and she and Grace continued to see Jun even after their brother was kicked out of the house. She and Grace were deeply saddened by Jun’s departure and later by his death, but they decided to keep quiet about it since it upset Tito Maning deeply.
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Angel Character Timeline in Patron Saints of Nothing

The timeline below shows where the character Angel appears in Patron Saints of Nothing. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
A New Silence Arrives
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
Death and Meaning Theme Icon
...the family’s driver, Tomas, loads Jay’s boxes and luggage into the car. Jay’s 12-year-old cousin Angel greets him brightly but his 15-year-old cousin Grace is reading a book and simply nods.... (full context)
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Tita Ami asks about Jay’s flight and Angel makes small talk, but for the most part conversation in the car dwindles as the... (full context)
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
...reading, and she says it’s by José Rizal. Jay has never read a Filipino author. Angel explains that every Filipino student is required to read Rizal, which makes Jay feel out... (full context)
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
...Jay thinks about his mom’s claim that he can’t understand the Philippines and says nothing. Angel says that according to Tito Maning, the beggars will spend the money on shabu anyway.... (full context)
Every Single Surviving Word
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
...work, then says that Grace will be even more successful than Chris. However, he says, Angel is lazy. Finally, Tito Maning dismisses Em’s graphic design study as useless. (full context)
Not an Answer to the Question
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
Angel enters the office, asking Jay if he’s trying to break into Tito Maning’s desk. If... (full context)
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
...breakfast, Jay brings up his missing “research” papers and asks if anyone has seen them. Angel and Grace say no. Tita Ami says that she’ll ask María to search for the... (full context)
That Last Part Aloud
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
...such as ones for natural history and art. Tita Ami says that she can take Angel and Grace on errands since they’ve been here before, and Tito Maning eventually agrees. Jay... (full context)
Another Day in the Minefield
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
...approves Jay’s request quickly and Jay scrolls through her posts, discovering in the process that Angel also has a private account, which amuses him. Then he freezes: Jun is in one... (full context)
Bravery As if It Were My Own
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
Death and Meaning Theme Icon
...is where that dog gave birth years ago. Everyone begins to eat, and Jay asks Angel what the dishes are. As they eat, Jay thinks about the last time he was... (full context)
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
Death and Meaning Theme Icon
...the family not to speak about Jun. The first month after Jun left, she and Angel constantly asked about him, but it made Tito Maning so upset that they stopped. Grace... (full context)
Truth, Adolescence, and Justice Theme Icon
Responsibility, Guilt, and Blame Theme Icon
...physical. Jay says that Grace should keep some of the letters and share some with Angel, too. Jay admits that he stopped writing Jun because at the time, Jay had a... (full context)
All the Darkness in the World
Culture and Belonging Theme Icon
Death and Meaning Theme Icon
...in a different language. Tita Chato starts crying and has to stop speaking. Grace and Angel speak in Tagalog and cry as well. (full context)
A Seed
Death and Meaning Theme Icon
Tito Danilo brings Jay, Grace, Angel, and Tita Chato on an ATV ride to Mount Mayon. He tells an origin story... (full context)