Guálinto

Guálinto is the main character of the novel. When Guálinto is born to María and Gumersindo Gómez, the couple is convinced that their firstborn son will grow up to be an important man. María declares that “he’s going to grow up to be a great man who will help his people” and her husband insists that “He is going to be a great man among the Gringos” (16). In an attempt to solidify this meaningful fate for their son, they name him after George Washington, “the great North American” who was “a general and fought the soldiers of the king” (16). Although this is his given name, the family calls him Guálinto. Most people, therefore, do not know about Guálinto’s namesake. When María reveals it to Guálinto’s first grade teacher Miss Cornelia, she laughs at María...