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 thinks that Bodega probably had no idea about the truth until the moment Nazario shot him; Julio imagines Bodega’s heart breaking in that moment. Piecing things together, Julio realizes that Vera just wanted her husband dead, and she knew that Bodega would take the blame for her. Julio searches for Sapo, who suggests that Julio paint a mural for Bodega, like he used to do as a kid for people who died. With Bodega dead, Sapo needs to lay low for a while. Before leaving, Sapo hugs Julio and says that Julio is his only friend. Julio wonders who’s going to take Bodega’s empire when the dust clears—his money is on Sapo.
Through Julio’s bitter reimagination of the last moments of Bodega’s life, Quiñonez implies that Nazario’s betrayal—the opposite of loyalty—breaks Bodega’s heart, once again emphasizing how deeply Bodega values the bonds of loyalty between people. Sapo explicitly honors his friendship with Julio, who remains unflinchingly loyal to Sapo (even though it looks like he's going to get even more entrenched in the criminal underworld).
Themes
Julio knows that Nazario will be after him, because he knows everything, so he has to call Ortiz and DeJesus and tell them everything, even though he hates the police. Julio wishes the neighborhood could just punish Nazario and Vera instead, but nobody seems up in arms about Bodega’s death. Nonetheless, the whole neighborhood shows up for Bodega’s funeral: the line of people waiting to pay their respects stretches across the neighborhood. Everybody is talking about some way that Bodega helped them, with school, rent, or a job. The wake lasts three days.
Julio’s visceral distaste for getting the police involved indicates that people in his community really don’t trust law enforcement. This reinforces the idea that the community is systemically oppressed: the police likely haven’t been treated the community fairly the past, so people like Julio don’t trust them. Although Julio is underwhelmed by the neighborhood’s response to Bodega’s death, Quiñonez shows that people are bonding over the help that Bodega provided them. It creates a sense of shared empathy and bourgeoning solidarity between them, just as Bodega hoped.
Themes
Nazario and Vera show up for Bodega’s burial. After Nazario lowers the coffin into the grave, Julio approaches him and tells him that he knows the truth. Nazario’s eyes narrow—he explains that killing Bodega was the best solution for everybody and that it’s better for the neighborhood. Julio calls Nazario a traitor, and Nazario looks like he wants to kill Julio. Suddenly, Ortiz and DeJesus approach from behind and grab Nazario, leading him to a squad car. The police also arrest Vera and Nene, who’s sad and confused. Nazario, unfazed, shouts back to Julio to tell Sapo to get in touch when Sapo takes over.
Even though Nazario’s secret plan unravels when Julio rats him out to the police, Nazario is relatively unfazed. Nazario remains resolutely committed to his belief that wealth is acquired by engaging in some sort of crime. Since Sapo is likely going to take over Bodega’s criminal empire, Nazario wants to align with Sapo to better his own chances of acquiring wealth, even though he’d be doing so from prison.
Themes
On the way home, Julio realizes that Nazario must have set fire to his apartment building to make everyone think that Fischman was involved. Nazario set the whole thing up to seize control of everything for himself and Vera. Suddenly, an old man named Geran, who’s carrying suitcases, and a young boy named Hipolito approach Julio. Geran explains that he’s new in town and is looking for Bodega. Julio shakes his head sadly but offers to house the old man until he gets on his feet. Geran is grateful—he even thinks that Julio might actually be Bodega.
Julio’s act of kindness in hosting Geran and Hipolito shows that Bodega’s ideals (for the community to take care of one another and grow stronger together) had an effect on Julio after all, despite Julio’s skepticism throughout the story. In thinking that Julio might even be the infamous Bodega, Geran reinforces the idea that Bodega’s ideals didn’t die with him: they live on through the people he helped, like Julio.
Themes
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That night, Julio has a vivid dream in which a young Bodega—dressed as a Young Lord—leads Julio to the window. Outside, people are playing salsa music, laughing, chatting, and playing dominoes. The neighborhood is covered with graffiti and murals paying homage to Bodega. Julio realizes that Bodega shone a light on the neighborhood and opened the door to endless possibilities. Julio knows that everybody in Spanish Harlem will wake up in the morning with hope in their hearts for a better future.
Quiñonez concludes the story by building on the feeling of solidarity he’s been establishing. Julio’s dream shows that Bodega does have a lasting effect on the community after all: he showed them that change is possible, and it begins with looking after one another. This breeds a feeling of solidarity that can empower residents of Spanish Harlem to band together and keep the fight for progress going.
Themes
