The Circuit Character Analysis

Francisco

Francisco is the protagonist and narrator of The Circuit. He is a little boy of around four at the beginning of the book and grows into a young teen by the novel’s conclusion. Francisco’s… read analysis of Francisco

Roberto

Roberto is Francisco’s older brother, and the two boys are very close. Even though Roberto is only four years older than Francisco, he is more responsible and mature, likely because he is forced to… read analysis of Roberto

Papá

Papá is Francisco’s father. He is the one who decides to move his family from Mexico to California in search of a better life, and he works unceasingly after they arrive in California to… read analysis of Papá

Mamá

Mamá is Francisco’s mother. Like Papá, she works very hard, but unlike him, she also manages to retain her sense of humor and kindness. She does her best to contribute to the family’s… read analysis of Mamá

Mr. Sims

Mr. Sims is the principal of the elementary school in Santa Maria, California, that Francisco and Roberto attend briefly. Although Mr. Sims seems to be a well-meaning man who does his best to help Francisco… read analysis of Mr. Sims

Mr. Lema

Mr. Lema is Francisco’s sixth-grade teacher when Francisco briefly attends a school in Fresno, California. Mr. Lema makes a big impact on Francisco’s life since he is very friendly and welcoming, and he helps… read analysis of Mr. Lema

Miss Scalapino

Miss Scalapino is Francisco’s first-grade teacher. Francisco doesn’t speak English when he attends school as a first grader, so he is completely perplexed in her class since he doesn’t understand a word of what… read analysis of Miss Scalapino

Carlos

Carlos is an older boy who lives in the same labor camp as Francisco’s family one spring. Francisco often plays kick-the-can with Carlos in the evenings, even though Francisco doesn’t like him very much… read analysis of Carlos

Mr. Diaz

Mr. Diaz is a labor contractor in Santa Maria, California, who arranges for braceros to work in the farms there. He treats one of the braceros named Gabriel very poorly. Francisco first hears Diaz ordering… read analysis of Mr. Diaz

Gabriel

Gabriel is a bracero from Mexico who works on the strawberry farm with Francisco and his family one spring. Gabriel is young and hardworking, and Francisco comes to like him a lot. Gabriel’s labor contractor… read analysis of Gabriel

Trampita

Trampita is Francisco’s younger brother. When Francisco is around five years old, he is left to care for Trampita, who is a baby at this time, while Mamá, Papá, and Roberto go… read analysis of Trampita

Torito

Torito is Francisco’s younger brother. Torito is born when Francisco is a first-grader, and the whole family, including Francisco, adores the cheerful baby. Unfortunately, Torito becomes sick and his parents don’t immediately take him… read analysis of Torito

Rorra

Rorra, Francisco’s sister, is the youngest child in the family. When she is four years old, she steals two of Francisco’s most precious pennies from his coin collection and uses them to buy gumballs… read analysis of Rorra

Carl

Carl is Francisco’s best friend when the boys are classmates in the fifth grade. Both of them collect coins, and one day, Carl invites Francisco home to show him his coin collection. Francisco has… read analysis of Carl

Arthur

Arthur is Francisco’s classmate in the first grade. Arthur knows a little Spanish, so Francisco is happy in his company since he finally has someone he can talk to (at this point, Francisco doesn’t… read analysis of Arthur

Curtis

Curtis is one of Francisco’s classmates in the first grade. He is the biggest kid in class and is the most popular. One day, Mr. Sims sees Francisco shivering on the playground and gives… read analysis of Curtis

Miguelito

Francisco makes friends with Miguelito when the two boys live in the same labor camp in Corcoran. They walk to school together one day, and since they enjoy each other’s company, they make plans to… read analysis of Miguelito

Manuelito

Manuelito is a little boy who lives in the same labor camp as Francisco one spring. Manuelito would like to play kick-the-can with the other boys, but Carlos, a bully, doesn’t let him, saying… read analysis of Manuelito

Fito

Fito is Francisco’s cousin who lives in Guadalajara, Mexico, and works in a tequila factory. Roberto is very impressed when he visits Fito and sees that he lives in a house with electricity and… read analysis of Fito

Ito

Ito is the Japanese sharecropper whom Francisco and his family work for at Sheehey Strawberry Farm in Santa Maria, California. Ito seems to be one of the better employers they have since he is the… read analysis of Ito

Chico

Chico lives next door to Francisco’s family with his wife, Pilar, when Francisco’s family lives in a garage near a vineyard where they pick grapes. Chico and Pilar are undocumented workers, just like… read analysis of Chico

Sullivan

Sullivan owns a vineyard that Francisco’s family works in one summer. Mr. Sullivan lives in a large, fancy house, but he gives Francisco’s family a dilapidated, old garage to live in. Sullivan’s treatment of… read analysis of Sullivan

Mr. Patrini

Mr. Patrini owns a vineyard that Francisco’s family works in one summer. Papá hears that Mr. Patrini gives his workers good living quarters, which is why he wants to work for him. Mr. Patrini… read analysis of Mr. Patrini

Mrs. Martin

Mrs. Martin is Francisco’s sixth grade teacher in Santa Maria, California. Francisco continues attending the sixth grade in her class after starting it in Mr. Lema’s class in Fresno. Mrs. Martin loves English… read analysis of Mrs. Martin

Miss Ehlis

Miss Ehlis teaches Francisco English and social studies in the eighth grade. She gives the class an assignment to learn a section from the Declaration of Independence. As Francisco prepares to recite this, immigration officers… read analysis of Miss Ehlis

El Perico

El Perico is Francisco’s pet parrot. The summer after Francisco finishes fourth grade, his family gets the parrot from one of Papá’s friends who smuggled the bird from Mexico. The whole family is… read analysis of El Perico

Minor Characters

Rubén

Rubén is Francisco’s youngest brother.

Pilar

Pilar is Chico’s wife.

Mr. Milo

Mr. Milo is Francisco’s math teacher in the eighth grade. Francisco does extremely well in his classes and often scores the highest among his classmates in math tests.

Sharon Ito

Sharon Ito is Ito’s daughter and Francisco’s classmate in the eighth grade. She and Francisco usually compete for the top spot in Mr. Milo’s math tests. Education puts Francisco on an equal footing with Sharon, who comes from a much more privileged background than he does.

The Circuit

Francisco Jiménez

The Circuit Characters