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Chp 1: Who is the narrator for the first chapter? What is the setting?
Yolanda is the narrator for this first chapter. The setting is a party, with people of all ages.
Chp 1: Find a metaphor on the first page. What does the metaphor add to the characterization?
"The cousins are flashes of color in turquoise jumpsuits and tight jersey dresses." (3) This means that the cousins are happy and energetic, and that they're wearing bright clothing.
Chp 1: How is Yolanda greeted by her Dominican relatives?
She is greeted with mockery for having gone to America, yet with much adoration from the kids. Lucinda tells her she looks terrible.
Chp 1: Why might this visit to the island be different for Yolanda? What is her secret?
Yolanda has lost touch with her heritage and home country and she doesn't thinks he'll go back to the US
Chp 1: What is Yolanda's "antojo"?
She wants to eat guavas.
Chp 1: What "wave of tradition" is Yolanda planning to ignore?
Usually, women don't travel alone but she wants to find guavas
Chp 1: How long has Yolanda's family been away from the island? What does Yolanda wish for when she blows out the candles on the cake?
Yolanda has been gone for 29 years. She wishes to have her own household and authority.
Chp 1: Yolanda's family insists on a number fo precautions as she leaves for the north. Which turn out to be necessary and why?
The precaution that was necessary was to not take the bus. This was necessary because when she passed a bus, she was harassed by the men on it.
Chp 1: What issue about language does the poet at Lucinda's party introduce? What thematic Idea does his question raise?
Chp 1: What might the sign advertising Palmolive represent in this story?
The advertising of Palmolive represents luxury
Chp 1: What are some ways that life in the Dominican Republic may be different from life in the United States
Dominican life is much more traditional than US
Chp 2: What are four events that are part of the father's birthday tradition?
1. All four girls stay at their father's
2. None of the husbands come
3. Their father gives them each large sums of money
4. He would talk about dying
Chp 2: Why is it important that Sofia has a son?
He was the first male born in two generations
Chp 2: In what ways is Sofia a maverick?
She stood up against her father and she asked to be married instead of waiting for a proposal
Chp 2: Why do Sofia and her father fight?
She ran away to get married.
Chp 2: In what ways do the daughters try to make their father's birthday party special for him?
Having a band, paper hats, balloon, and buttons --> THE WORLD'S GREATEST DAD
Chp 2: Why does Sofia give her father a wet kiss? What is his reaction?
He wasn't acknowledging her hard work or guessing her name. He gets infuriated.
Chp 2: How does the tension between Sofia's Dominican and American backgrounds seem to impact her life.
Sofia leaned towards her American background rather than her Dominican background which is shown when she disregards Dominican traditions, such asking to be married rather than waiting for a proposal
Chp 3: How do the four girls feel about the favorite stories the mother has of each of them?
They all act like they're annoyed but really they love it because it gives them a sense of individualization.
Chp 3: Find three cliches in the chapter
Dead, overused metaphor
Chp 3: What does the story of the red sneakers reveal to the reader about Carla's, Papi's, and Mami's personalities?
Carla is stubborn, Papi is creative, and Mami has a big mouth
Chp 3: What is mother's secret wish for Yolanda?
Mother's wish is for Yolanda to be famous
Chp 3: Why does Yolanda's lover think the daughters are pretty wild?
Because they act independent and do as they want instead of listening to their parents
Chp 3: What does the story about the bus ride reveal to the reader about Yolanda's personality?
She is independent and fearless
Chp 3: How does Sandi feel about her Swedish good looks?
She would rather look like her sisters
Chp 3: For what reason does Sandi feel the need to keep reading? Why does she keep losing weight?
She is afraid of losing her humanity and becoming a monkey. She is losing weight because she does not want to eat.
Chp 3: What does mother's story about Sandi reveal to the reader about Sandi's personality? What might the monkey hands represent in this story?
Sandi might have anxiety or be depressed. The monkey hands might represent a loss of self-control.
Chp 3: Why does the mother think Sofia is the lucky one?
Sofia always seems like she'll be in trouble, but things will turn out in her favor in the end.
Chp 3: Why does Mami buy rainbow clothes for herself?
To not show favoritism by wearing the same color as any of the other girls because each girl is given a color
Chp 4: List some nicknames for Yolanda. How does she feel about these names? What might multiple versions of Yolanda's name signify in this story?
Yo, Joe, Yoyo, Joey
Yolanda doesn't like these nicknames. Multiple versions of Yolanda's name might signify that she has multiple personality disorder.
Chp 4: Where is Yolanda at the start of this chapter?
In a hospital room
Chp 4: Why does Yolanda begin to mistrust John?
He starts to make fun of her, and is dismissive of her stress. He told her she needed to see a shrink.
Chp 4: What evidence is there in the story that Yolanda's mixed heritage may be harming her relationship with John?
He doesn't understand spanish and argues about their differences.
Chp 4: Why does John make lists? In what way are his lists similar to Yolanda's use or misuse of words?
John makes lists to clarify how he feels about Yolanda. Her misuse means she is confused, such as John is confused about his feelings.
Chp 4: In what ways does Alvarez present John as a caring man who is not fully responsible for the breakup of their marriage?
He apologizes first and always attempts to resolve the problem
Chp 4: What do you think the raven in Yolanda's vision might represent in this story?
Her words hurting people
Her love for John
Chp 5: Why is Yolanda popular with the boys in high school? Why does she lose this popularity in college?
High School- She was lively and the boys enjoyed conversation with her
College- She wouldn't have sex with them
Chp 5: For what reasons does Yolanda feel out of place in her English class? What does she have in common with Rudy?
She is a foreign student. She and Rudy both have odd names.
Chp 5: Why does Yolanda refuse to take drugs at the party?
She was afraid that Rudy might do something to her.
Chp 5: Rudy's parents remark that it "...should be interesting for him to find out about people from other cultures." (98) Why does this remark bother Yolanda?
She doesn't want to be seen as a "geography lesson" (98).
Chp 5: In what way does Rudy express his bigotry and ignorance about Yolanda's heritage?
Saying he thought she'd be hot-blooded because she was Spanish.
Chp 5: Why does Yolanda throw Rudy out of her apartment five years later?
All he wanted was sex
Chp 5: What metaphor describes the lasting impact Yolanda's failed relationship with Rudy will have on her life?
"I sprayed myself with expensive Bordeaux. 'Shit,' I thought, ' this is not going to wash out.'" (103)
Chp 6: Why does Papi decide to become an American citizen?
The revolution in the DR
Chp 6: What kinds of mischief do the Garcia girls get into that results in threats from the parents to ship them back to the island?
The Garcia girls forged their mother's signature in order to go where they wanted, and they smoked.
Chp 6: Cite two incidents from the story which illustrate how the Garcia girls stick together.
-Took turns answering calls from their parents to cover for each other
-All took the blame for the weed
Chp 6: What is Mami's "little revolution"?
She's taking night classes in real estate
Chp 6: Why do Fifi's sisters think she has turned into a Spanish American Princess?
Her sudden elegant appearance change
Chp 6: Who is Manuel Gustavo?
Fifi's new boyfriend
Chp 6: For what reasons do Fifi's sisters come to question their relationship with Manuel? What is their nickname for him?
He controls her and she lets him do it. They nicknamed him M.G., a make of a car they find sleazy.
Chp 6: Why do the Garcia sisters finally decide to take matters into their own hands and get rid of Manuel?
He said that "men wear the pants." (122)
Chp 6: Find an example of what must be a cliche in the Dominican Republic.
"Let's not anticipate where..." (130)
Chp 6: Briefly describe the Garcia sisters' plan to liberate Fifi from Manuel's grasp. In what what is the plan ironic?
The Garcia sisters are going to stage a coup, which is ironic because their father attempted to do the same with the dictator but didn't follow through.
Chp 7: Who is Laura Garcia? List three of her proposed inventions. Why does she stop trying to invent things?
She is the mother of the Garcia sisters.
1. Child's double-compartment drinking glass with an outsized, built-in straw
2. Soap sprayed from the nozzle head of a shower when you turned the knob a certain way
3. Instant coffee w/ creamer
She stops when someone else patents her idea of a rolling suitcase
Chp 7: When do Yolanda and her sisters call their mother "Mom" instead of "Mami"?
They want her to understand that she failed as an American mom.
Chp 7: Find an example of a Dominican cliche that Mami tries to translate into English. Explain its meaning.
"With patience and calm, even a burro can climb a palm." (138) You can do anything as long as you work hard
Chp 7: How does Yolanda feel when she is selected to write a speech for Teacher's Day
Yolanda is mortified when she is selected to write a speech for Teacher's Day, because she didn't like public speaking due to her accent ans didn't want to subject her self to her peers jokes
Chp 7: Why do you think Yolanda includes these lines from "Song of Myself," by Walt Whitman: "I celebrate myself and sing myself...He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher," in her speech? (142)
She doesn't want to suck up to the teachers and be seen as a social outcast
Chp 7: Why does Papi disapprove of Yolanda's speech? What does Yolanda understand about the reasons for his disapproval? What does Papi do to try and make up with Yolanda?
He thinks it is boastful and shows no gratitude. He has a fear of disrespecting authorities (coming from a dictatorship). To try and make up with her, she buys her a nice electric typewriter
Chp 7: Why does Yolanda think of "the speech her mother wrote as her last invention?" (149)
It's Mami's last assistance in helping Yolanda become successful in America
Chp 7: What events happen on the news that mirror the fight between Yolanda and Papi?
Gun blasts, explosions, and the Vietnam War
Why do you suppose Carla wants to return to the Dominican Republic?
Carla wants to return to the DR because she is homesick and doesn't like how she is treated in America, and experiences culture shock
How are Carla's feelings about her new school in America confused?
She is going through puberty and is bullied, yet she likes to be at a school by herself without her sisters
What sentences in this chapter indicate Carla is learning that if she wants to fit in with the American children, she must separate herself from her Latin heritage?
"Carla sometimes imagined herself being driven to school in a flashy red car the boys would admire. Except there was no one to drive her. Her immigrant father with his thick mustache and accent and three-piece suit would only bring her more ridicule. Her mother did not yet know how to drive. Even though Carla could imagine owning a very expensive car, she could not imagine her parents as different from what they were. They were, like this new body she was growing into, givens." (155)
Why does Mami relent and let the police officers question Carla?
They call her a citizen
The boys who taunt Carla are interested in the makes and models of cars. Carla is unable to identify the make of the car the pervert is driving. Considering these two incidents what do you think the cars might represent in this story?
She's not Americanized, and is outside of mainstream culture
Explain some examples of the use of the title of this section, Trespass
Used in reference to religion, used literally, and used figuratively in which the pervert "trespassed" on Carla's safety and innocence
Why does Yolanda mistake snow for a bomb?
She had never seen snow before and Sister Zoe had drawn "bombs" on the chalkboard as white dots falling from the sky
Find a sentence in this chapter that illustrates why Sister Zoe is special to Yolanda
"As the only immigrant in my class, I was put in a special seat in the first row by the window, apart from the other children so that Sister Zoe could tutor me without disturbing them." (166)
How is Dr. Fanning helping Papi?
Dr. Fanning is lining up jobs for Papi, and had helped arranged the fellowship that got them out of the DR.
What does Sandi miss about her life in the DR?
How important she felt because of her family name
List three instructions Mami gives to the girls concerning their behavior in the restaurant. Which of these worries Sandi?
-No elbows on the table
-Only milk or water
-Mami will order their food --> this worries Sandi
What favor does Papi ask of Sandi?
To not tell Mami about Mrs. Fanning kissing him
Sandi stares herself in the bathroom mirror. "Being pretty, she would not have to go back to where she came from. Pretty spoke both languages. Pretty belonged in this country to spite La Bruja." (182) What does Sandi realize about herself when she looks in that mirror? What literary term is used in the quotation?
She is beautiful and could pass off as an American. Personification is used.
What does Sandi learn about herself when she admires the Spanish dancers?
There is beauty in her culture, which is a part of her.
How does Sandi feel when Mrs. Fanning joins the dancers?
Mrs. Fanning ruined the beauty of the dance
What do you think the Barbie dolls dressed in Spanish costumes might represent in this story?
The Americanized view of Spanish beauty
Hyperbole on page 197
"Her head feels as if it's going to crack open"
What is the significance of the title, "The Blood of the Conquistadors"?
The conquistadors conquered a land away from home, which is what the Garcia family will do: travel to America and start a new life
Who do the police interrogate when they are looking for information about Papi? For what reason might Papi be worried that his children might inadvertently give the guards some information about his hiding place?
The police interrogate the four girls. Papi might be worried that his children might give the guards information about his hiding place because they are easily pressured and are very honest.
In what ways does Chucha try to help Papi?
Speaking very loud so that he can hear what she's talking about with the guards
Why does Mami tell Chino to call Don Victor and ask him to pick up his tennis shoes?
Code to ask for help
Who is Vic? How is he going to help Papi?
Vic is a CIA agent who is going to help Papi escape the country
What is the "national language of a police state" that the children of the Dominican Republic learn early?
You should watch what you say and look where you go
Why do the police, Pupo, and Checo decide a search of the Garcia house is worth their time? What do they risk by undertaking such a search?
If they find something, they will be praised and decorated. They risk going back to prison
How does young Sandi feel about leaving for America?
Hesitant
How does the switch from what is happening in the Garcia house, to a previous scene with the lottery seller, to Carlos hiding enhance the believability of the story?
It shows multiple things happening at once
Why does Chucha seek asylum at the Garcias' home?
All of the Haitians were being massacred
For what reasons do the other maids refuse to share a room with Chucha? Why does she sleep in a coffin?
She does voodoo, and they think she's below them (skin color). She wants to sleep in a coffin in preparation for death.
What prophecy does Chucha make for the girls' futures? Does it come true?
The girls will have troublesome lives, but will invent what they need to survive
Explain the irony of the first paragraph on page 227, about the yearly gathering
The reader understands that the uncles were dead
Briefly describe two aspects of Yoyo's life in the DR which might be different from the life of an average American girl
1. Yoyo's family's houses were raided by guards
2. She has government officials in her family
Why is Papito often sent out of the country?
He has education and money, making Trujillo jealous
In what ways does Tia Mami fail to live the normal life of a young woman in the DR?
-She has not married and she's 28
-She reads a lot
Why does Milagros plead with Sandi to release her son from his illness? What can you infer about Milagros' belief in Sandi?
Sandi drew a picture of him very well. Milagros thinks that Sandi is a witch.
Why does Sandi think, "...everything I enjoyed in the world was turning out to be wrong"? (248)
Art, something she enjoys, was being restricted by Dona Charito, and she realizes these lessons will not be fun
For what reasons does Sandi decide to look inside the shed? What does she see?
She heard a man yelling, tapping noises, and she wanted to know a secret about Dona Charito for revenge. She sees sculptures of a woman and animals, and a chained naked man.
How does Sandi break her arm?
By falling backwards from the stump in fear
What is special about the face of the virgin mother? Why does Sandi feel a moment of triumph when she sees the face?
The face of the statue of the virgin mother is blank. Sandi feels a moment of triumph when she sees the face because it looks like her own, giving a sense of self-identification.
One of the themes of this novel is explore the difficulties each of the daughters has as they mature into women. Considering this theme, what might the face on the statue represent in this story.
The face on the statue might represent Sandi's struggle with knowing who she is.
