Violence

Through the results of actions of multiple fictional characters in the narrative, the author shows that violence begets violence and that intellect is just as powerful as physical violence. The situation of characters who are not directly involved in the violence in the narrative illustrate that violence harms everyone it touches.

The results of Frankie’s actions create a chain of violence that illustrates the theme that violence begets violence. Frankie does not hide the fact that he is a violent man from Ramona. He teaches her how to shoot a gun. The fact that she grows up in a world of violence causes her to be violent. She uses violence against Isaiah in Beaumont’s parking lot after he talks to Frankie. Later she uses violence when she fights Pilar. The violence Pilar instigates causes Ramona to get her gun and look for them. When...