Study Questions

1. Where does Marin meet Geraldo?

2. How does Geraldo die?

3. Why can’t the authorities notify anyone about Geraldo’s death?

4. What is special about Ruthie?

5. Why doesn’t Ruthie go with Edna’s friends to play bingo?

6. What does Earl do for a living?

7. What does Earl’s wife look like?

8. What happens when Esperanza looked back at Sire?

9. According to Esperanza’s parents, what kind of boy is Sire? What kind of girl is Lois?

10. What does Esperanza want to do at night?

Answers

1. Marin meets Geraldo at a dance.

2. Geraldo dies in a hit-and-run accident.

3. They can’t notify anyone because Geraldo doesn’t have any identification.

4. Ruthie is an adult who still likes to play. She also sees beauty in ordinary things.

5. Ruthie doesn’t go because she can’t decide if she should go or not.

6. Earl is a jukebox repairman.

7. Earl’s “wife” looks different depending on who saw her.

8. Sire, who is riding his bike, bumps into a parked car.

9. Esperanza’s parents say Sire is a punk, and Lois is like the girls who “go into alleys.”

10. Esperanza would like to actually be outside with a boy instead of just dreaming about it.