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
On the ride back to Manhattan, Nazario is relieved that one hurdle—appeasing Mr. Cavalleri—is out of the way. But he’s still stressed. Bodega is off with Vera and isn’t answering his phone. Julio is confused about why he’s there, but Nazario says Julio can be an asset to the Latin community—they want to support him through whatever means they have, even if those means involve crime. Nazario thinks that people who gained wealth did it by killing their part of the world, and they have to fight back. One day, he speculates, the Latino people will be able to steal just by signing papers, just like white men. Nazario says that even the United States took “shady steps” to become powerful: they stole all the land they claimed.
Nazario makes the case that his actions are no worse than those of elite people around the world. He argues that white Americans acquired their wealth by exploiting the Latinx community and plundering their lands, which is no less criminal than what he’s doing. The only difference to Nazario is that the elite hide their “shady” crimes behind contracts and legislation while the disenfranchised don’t have that luxury. Nazario thus believes that his own actions aren’t any more immoral than those of the elite.
Themes
Julio reflects that, like Bodega and Nazario, he, too, has always just wanted to live a better life beyond petty street crime. Julio is pursuing school and work while saving to buy a house. He realizes that although his path is legal, there’s still no guarantee of success. Nazario and Bodega, however, are talking about evolution: turning trash into gold. Julio realizes that some people will get hurt and become “extinct” because they can’t adapt to change. Their plan makes sense to Julio, but he so does his own, and he’s confused about which path to pursue. Nazario reflects that media interest in the Salazar murder is dwindling, so he thinks that problem will be buried soon.
Julio has previously been skeptical about Bodega and Nazario’s actions because they utilize criminal means to realize their aims. Now, he’s starting to change his mind and embrace what they do. Julio’s moral qualms are starting to disappear. He implicitly decides here that Bodega and Nazario are not wrong if they are doing what they do for a worthy cause (namely, the empowerment of their community).
Themes
As they approach Manhattan, Julio thinks that its majestic skyscrapers make it look like Camelot or Eldorado. But he knows the buildings hide a secret: Spanish Harlem, a slum handed down like used clothing between different immigrant communities, full of crime and kindness. It doesn’t seem to belong, but it’s there, full of broken promises chased by Latino people searching for a better life in “God’s country.” Julio reflects that they’ll never find God in Spanish Harlem, because God lives in the suburbs “like all slumlords.”
Through Julio’s eyes, Quiñonez reflects on the vast wealth discrepancies in New York. Spanish Harlem’s presence among such wealth shows that New York’s elite exploit immigrant communities (particularly for cheap labor) to maintain their own wealth. Julio also implies that “God” (meaning whoever runs the church) is also a kind of “slumlord” who exploits Latinx people. This is because the religious elite profit from people who tolerate their poverty, wait for salvation, and funnel money into the church instead of fighting for their own empowerment.
Themes
Julio pictures explorers arriving to Manhattan, striking deals with Native Americans, and buying Manhattan for a bargain $24. He realizes that Bodega and Nazario are simply doing the same thing: buying a run-down and abandoned bit of the island back at a bargain rate so that they can rejuvenate Spanish Harlem. Then, Bodega and Nazario will watch as others realize that they missed out on something beautiful.
Quiñonez argues that New York’s current elite acquired their wealth through crimes like swindling and killing Native Americans and stealing their land. He argues (through Julio’s eyes) that Bodega and Nazario are doing the exact same thing: they’re swindling the city to take back what was taken from indigenous people in the early days of U.S. history.
Themes
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Julio arrives home, fearing Blanca’s wrath. Luckily, she’s distracted because Roberto Vega and Claudia are there. They’ve been secretly seeing each other, and they want to elope and start a new life in Chicago with Roberto’s brother Googie. Julio is glad that Roberto is thinking practically, but Blanca is worried that their elopement will upset the church community. She urges Roberto to come clean to his mother. Julio thinks about lying to Blanca and feels guilty. It turns out that Roberto’s mother sent Googie to Chicago after Googie became a junkie in order to protect Roberto. Julio, Blanco, and Claudia convince Roberto to talk to his mother. After Roberto and Claudia leave, Blanca’s exhausted. She heads to her mother’s to study, leaving Julio relieved that Blanca bring up his absence.
The back-and-forth debate about whether or not Roberto should inform his mother about his plans to run away to Chicago with Claudia shows that familial bonds of loyalty run deep in the Latinx community. These bonds often motivate people’s actions, even when they causes personal distress (like being separated from a child, as Roberto’s mother was), or when they conflicts with personal romantic goals (like Roberto and Claudia’s elopement or Julio and Blanca’s relationship).
Themes
Sapo stops by and drives Julio to a block of condemned buildings that Bodega renovated. Julio thinks that Bodega is improving the city much faster than city officials do—they spend decades deciding whether to renovate or bulldoze condemned buildings.Bodega is meeting Vera’s husband tomorrow so that Vera can officially end things with him. Julio wonders why Vera is putting Bodega at risk of an altercation with her husband when they could just run off. Bodega ignores Julio’s concerns and says that he wants to build a school for immigrant children when this is all over. Julio agrees distractedly, wondering if Nene was the one who killed Salazar. Julio decides that Bodega did what he had to: nobody else is going to help Spanish Harlem.
Despite the murder weighing on his mind, Julio ultimately decides that Bodega is justified in his actions—even in having Salazar killed—because Bodega is trying to improve the lives of countless other people. Julio also thinks that Bodega is justified in his actions because the city doesn’t prioritize issues like affordable housing for immigrants. This means that without Bodega, the Latinx community would have nobody fighting in their corner. Julio also rightly suspects that Vera is manipulating Bodega, and that she might not have his best interests at heart.
Themes
