English Flashcards
Part 1
Two trash boys (Raphael and Gardo)in Behala on a dumpsite. They find a bag with 100pesos and keys from a man called Jose Angelico. Another trash boy Rat is helping them to hide the bag from police who are looking for it. The three boys go on a station and find a letter to Gabriel Olondriz in Colva prison with some codes on it.
Part 2
Father Juilliard runs the mission school in Behala and the boys to find something more about Jose Angelico. The boys learn that he died in police station after robbing 6 million dollars from vice president;Senator Zapanta. Raphael is taken so police can find more about the bag. They threaten to kill him but he tells them nothing and they let him go.
Part 3
Sister Olivia works at the mission school and Gardo gets her to take to Colva prison to speak with Gabriel Olondriz and she has to pay lots of money to get in. The conditions there are terrible. Olondriz is Jose Angelico’s adoptive granddad and that has been in prison for over 30 years after he bought charges against Senator Zapanta. Gabriel Olondriz goes to jail on false charges. He dies the next day. A gardener tells them that Jose Angelico – who was a house boy- smuggled the 6 million dollars out of the house in a fridge and that Zapanta was not well liked.
Part 4
Rat steals money from the Mission school to pay the prison guard 4 Marco and get the bible. When Gardo hands over the bible the police are there and they run for their lives. The police come again and raid their flat at night but the boys manage to escape – using other gangs of street boys as cover.
Part 5
It is the Day Of The Dead they go to the graves and find Angelico’s family graves including one with his daughter(Pia Dante) written on it. A small girl appears who they realise is Pia and she has been waiting there for her father to arrive for almost two weeks. They break into Pia’s grave and find money. They take a small amount for themselves and leave the rest to blow over Behala in the storm – giving it to the poorest people in the city.
Raphael
Raphael find the bag in trash at the beginning. The are like brothers with Gardo but Rapheal is more sillier until he is tortured in a police cell which changes his attitude. From then he is way more scared and has nightmares.
Gardo
Rapheal’s best friend and protector. He is more serious. It’s suggested that he had a hard childhood. He is convincing Sister Olivia to go meet Gabriel Olondriz. He also uses his trash hook to evade being captured by the police trying to get the bible back. He is quick- witted and street-wise.
Rat
He isn’t originally from the dumpsite but a traveller that tried to get money when he was 8 years old. He lives in a hole under the trash in a dangerous place. He has ‘pencil like arms’ and broken teeth. Raphael and Gardo live with him to avoid him living by himself. He saved a lot of money and pland to return to Sanpaulo. He forges good relationships with both Father Juilliard and Sister Olivia who both give him money. He is very quick and street-wise. To the end he becomes Jun-Jun.
Senator Zapanta
We never meet him in the story but he is a villain. A corrupt politician who has pocketed millions from poor. He lives in a rich part of the city in a mansion. When the story ends he is still in power.
Father Juilliard
A generous man running the Pasca Aguila Mission in Behala School for 7 years. He is desperate to promote education amongst the young trash pickers but he is largely unsuccessful. He is easily manipulated by the three boys but seems glad of this. He is forced to retire dues to the events of the novel.
Jose Angelico
A ‘house boy’ at Zapanta’s house, he waits many years to get revenge on Senator. He dies in the hands of police but manages to throw away clues from the money. His life is tragedy losing his wife and son but is brave and gives the boys courage throughout.
Gabriel Olondriz
The adopted grandfather of Jose Angelico. He was a ‘small officer’ who discovered that Zapanta had spirited away 30 million dollars in UN aid money. Olondriz finds himself in jail for the rest of his life. He is symbol of goodness in a corrupt system.
Pia Dante
Jose Angelico’s daughter and is a quiet and fragile character. She is left orphaned when he dies….. so when the boys find her she is starving and dirty and still in her school uniform. She goes with the boys to Sampalo at the end of the story.
Raphael’s Aunt
She foolishly hints to the police that Raphael found something in the trash and because of this Raphael is eventually tortured in a police station. She cautions the boys about what they are doing and is very afraid of the police.
Marco
A prison guard who asks the boys for money in exchange for Gabriel Olondriz’s bible. He ultimately betrays the boys by telling the police.
