Bodega Dreams

The story of bodega dreams, written by Ernesto quinonez, shows the theme used by Willie bodega; do the ends justify the means? Even though the out come of the means were a positive result does that really make the means that the outcome was secured by the right way to go? Even the ethical issues of this problem are very great. In history many people’s lives have been taken or destroyed to improve others. Willie bodega sold drugs to fund his little community y to send children to college and help people pay bill. That might extreme but, things like seeing a coworker getting fired that could be some ones way of getting a promotion that they really deserve. The novel seems to suggest that to be successful you will at one point have the step on

the hands of others also crawling for success. Now following the story of Willie bodega through becoming bodega and growing into his giant drug parade we will find out if the theme of this book is true; do the ends justify the means?
The story starts by introducing the narrator Julio Mercado also know as chino. Also at the start you learn about his best friend Sapo. Together these two grew up in el barrio the ghettos of Spanish Harlem the ghettos of the world. To show the strength of there friend ship in starts by showing the constant struggle for life and power in the ghettos. The struggle chino and sapo face such as the constant fights everyday at school. And how the story talks about if you did not fight it was worse than loosing a fight. And that you should never back down from a fight. The novel is constructed into three books and each book has a different number of “rounds” which further progressives the idea of fighting and battles.
Book one titled “Because Men Who Built This Country Were Men From The Streets”. Names are also significant in the novel specifically Chino and Sapo. Sapo in English is translated into the word toad. The narrator suggests that Sapo received this name because of his hideous appearance; it was rumored around the neighborhood that when Sapo was born, the nurses cleaned him up and brought him over to his father. His father saw the baby and said, “Cono, he looks like a frog,” and quickly handed the baby to the mother. “Here you take him.” This shows from the beginning that sapo was looking for acceptance. (Quinonez 3,4). While on the other hand Chino received his name because of his reputation for fighting and physical appearance, “There were many guys named Chino in East Harlem but it wasn’t a name that was just given to you. First, you had to look a bit Chinese, and second, you had to fight. It was an honor to be called Chino.” (Quinonez 8)
The character of Willie Bodega is introduced in the second round of book one after the rest of the characters in the novel.

Though Bodega is not the protagonist of the story there is a very fine line drawn of this character between the antagonist and the protagonist. Although initially the reader may see Bodega as against the protagonist’s ambitions the novel begins to reveal that Bodega has the same ambitions but attempts to attain them in a different manner. As a favor to Sapo for all of the things he did for Chino while they were growing up Chino agrees to do Sapo several favors throughout the novel, including meeting Bodega. Chino aspires to get an education and use it as a catalyst to escape the ghastly living conditions of the ghetto. Chino initially believes that to succeed in life he must first leave the ghetto. In order to leave the ghetto he goes to college to make enough money to provide a better living and environment for his wife, Blanca, and unborn child. In round three, Chino finally meets the infamous Bodega who few people get the opportunity to meet. Bodega shares with him his dream of a better community and a new Puerto Rican race that consists of an abundance of doctors, lawyers and business men and women. Though Bodega sold heroin to attain his own wealth and planned to use his drug money to better the neighbor hood and his people, he had reasoning for why he felt he was not wrong in the way he acquired his wealth. Bodega states, “Joe Kennedy was no different than me. He already had enough money in the twenties but he still became a rumrunner. Alcohol is a drug, right? Kennedy sold enough booze to kill a herd of rhinos. Made enough money from that to launch other, legal schemes. Years later he bought his kids the White House. Bought it. Yeah, he broke the law. But I get no recognition because I am no Joe Kennedy.”(Quinonez 25) this shows bodegas’ means of acquiring power and becoming the next main leader of the

community.
Bodega gave several reasons as to why what he was doing was beneficial rather than destructive. One reason was the positive outcome that he wanted for the community. Bodega seems to believe that the only way to succeed in this world is to play the game the way the rest of the wealthy people do, which usually means illegal approaches.
Bodega in the novel Bodega Dreams represents struggle and finding a way to adjust and adapt to this type of environment. Rather than being pulled down by the influence of the ghetto he improves himself and goes on to attempt to approve his community. Bodega sees his actions as right because he believes that illegal activity is the way to progress financially and socially. He believes that the wealthiest men attain success illegally so why should he be scrutinized for it. Bodega also believes that the people who take drugs obviously do not care about improving their lives so why address them as significant part takers of the community. Lastly, Bodega believes that since he has a bigger goal than just selling drugs, since he is attempting to improve others lives that is all that matters. Bodega sees that he is helping many families by providing them with housing, education, and money when needed. Bodega also preserves the culture and heritage of the Puerto Rican race inside the community. The novel incessantly focuses on all the positive things Bodega does for his people, his community with little focus on his illegal drug activity and a lot of explanation for his illegal ways. The novel focuses on why the ends to justify the ends. The novel illustrates the bigger picture of what Bodega is trying to do aside from the drugs. The novel focuses on the significance of Bodega’s Dream for the community.