Point of View

The story is written in first person from the perspective of Manuel Hernandez. He is a young boy who lives with his parents, a brother, and two sisters. Manny is the third child of the family. He doesn't always fully understand what's going on with the other members of the family. An example of this is seen when Nardo and Magda tease him about his invitation to a party. The older siblings know that Manny will not actually be welcome at the party, probably because they have experienced similar situations. Manny doesn't fully realize what they are saying to him because he hasn't experienced this for himself.

Manny's limited perspective is also seen in his attitude about the lives of his parents. He relates what he sees and what he believes to be true, but he doesn't really know what they are thinking and feeling...