Ernesto is born in an adobe in a small Mexican village that is hidden away in a mountainous region. It is so small that the town has only one street, no police, no fire department, and no mayor. The village belongs to everyone.Ernesto’s parents are divorced, so Ernesto lives with his mother, Henriqueta, as part of the property settlement. He also is reared by his Uncle Gustavo, his aunt Esther, and his Uncle José. Part of his daily chores is to watch over his pets: Coronel, his rooster; Nerón, his watchdog; and Relámpago, a burro who really does not belong to anyone.Ernesto does not attend school so he does not know how to read or write well. Having a career is not as important as being able to prove his manhood through hard manual labor. Beginning at age seven, Ernesto learns that being a man means working day and night without pay.One summer day, a great hurricane showers the village. The street is flooded, and everyone works together to save what is left of houses and corrals. Before the stories of the flood can be talked about, therurales, special government police, enter the town looking for young men to be drafted in the army for the revolution. They do not allow anyone to leave. Fearing the worst, Henriqueta decides the family must escape. The night before the family slips away north, Halley’s comet appears in the sky. According to Don Cleofas, the oldest person in the village, this is an omen of something serious.After a day and a half traveling on horseback, Ernesto and his family arrive in Tepic and settle in their new home. Life is different. Uncle Gustavo and José now work for pay, and the marketplace becomes an adventure for Ernesto. He even begins to be educated at home. The problems of the revolution his mother thought she left behind at the old village (which people called Jalco) follow them to Tepic. Good news, however, arrives in the form of jobs on the Southern Pacific Railroad. The family again travels north to Acaponeta. Living there, close to the railroad station, means that revolutionaries often come to the family’s door. With every grace,...(The entire section is 871 words.)Get Free AccessStart your free trial with eNotes for complete access to this resource and thousands more.30,000+ Study GuidesSave time with thousands of teacher-approved book and topic summaries.Get Homework HelpAsk real teachers questions on any subject or search 300,000+ answers.On the Go AccessLearn from study guides, Homework Help, and quizzes on the eNotes iOS app.Start Free TrialAre you a teacher or educator? Find out about our Teacher’s Edition.Next:CharactersStart your free trial with eNotes to access more than 30,000 study guides. Get help with any book.Start Free TrialBarrio Boy Homework Help QuestionsWho are the main characters in Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza?The plot revolves around the main character, Ernesto Galarza, who is raised by his mother, Dona Henriqueta. Dona was divorced by Ernesto's father when Ernesto was just an infant. This is a story...Who is the narrator of the story "Barrio Boy" by Ernesto Galarza?In "Barrio Boy," Ernesto Galarza tells the story of his life from the time he lived in a small town in Mexico to his family's move to California in the United States. Even though he was very...In "Barrio Boy", how did Ernesto and his mother communicate with Miss Hopley, the...Ernesto and his mother communicate with Miss Hopley with the aid of a student interpreter. After Ernesto and his mother are comfortably settled in her office, Miss Hopley opens a door in the far...In Barrio Boy, how does Ernesto Galarza develop a personal philosophy of virtues (when, where,...A personal philosophy of values can be defined as an individual making personal choices to define right and wrong behavior as opposed to external laws or culture determining right and wrong for the...What are examples of the technique of speech, actions and interactions of the characters in the...Galarza uses dialogue and direct characterization to describe the events of his childhood. Galarza often incorporates dialogue directly into the paragraph when he characterizes someone, such as his...View More Questions »Ask a questionPopular TopicsA Farewell to ArmsErnest Hemingway1984George OrwellA Christmas CarolCharles DickensA & PJohn UpdikeA Doll's HouseHenrik Ibsen
