Breaking Through

The mother of Francisco and his six siblings, Mama is portrayed as an endlessly patient, wise, self-sacrificing individual. Faced with insurmountable odds, she always maintains her faith in God and optimism about the future of the family. She works in the fields and in canning factories as she raises her family in a series of inadequate dwellings that are unequipped with indoor toilets. She is Francisco’s moral compass, and her guidance and spirituality figure heavily in the development of his character.

While Mama does not appear to be formally educated, she has an innate sense of healing and nurturing. When her husband succumbs to what modern-day clinicians might diagnose to be clinical depression, she tends to his physical and emotional needs while trying to preserve his sense of being the head of the family. She seeks to explain the hardships that have precipitated his behavior to the children, always encouraging the attributes of patience and forgiveness.

Although Mama recognizes the financial dependence of the family upon her sons, she does not seek to tether them to the home. When Roberto’s engagement is announced, she joyfully gives her blessing, despite her realization that his departure will cause economic hardship. Similarly, she encourages Francisco’s college attendance, despite the fact that he will reside a few hours north of the family home. Her faith in God is complete and truly does sustain her through extreme hardships. 

Francisco’s father is a driven, ethical, intelligent, hard-working individual who adheres to traditional values and strives mightily to rescue his wife and children from an impoverished existence in Mexico. He enters the US illegally with his wife and two oldest sons and picks crops so industriously that he is paid a higher hourly wage than the other field hands. When the family is deported back to Mexico, he uses logic to determine the safest economic plan for the family, which involves sending young Francisco and Roberto back to California alone for several months while Papa tries to obtain treatment for his injured back.

An ambitious attempt to run an independent strawberry farm with a partner, financed by a bank loan, leads to Papa’s physical, emotional and economic ruination. When the crops suffer blight and no profit is realized, Papa becomes a broken man. He is overwhelmed by chronic physical pain and succumbs to depression and despair. A highly conventional individual, Papa is humiliated by his inability to contribute to the economic support of the family; nonetheless, he rules the household with an iron fist. In the latter portions of the book, the author portrays Papa as a highly insecure, vulnerable individual who has a poignant affection for his wife and family.

The oldest child in the Jimenez family, Roberto functions as a surrogate father to Francisco in many ways. He assumes great responsibility for the support of his parents and siblings at a very early age, when the start of his father’s increasing disability becomes apparent. When Mama, Papa and the four youngest siblings remain in Mexico for a time following their deportation, Roberto’s janitorial job at the local high school provides the sole income to support the family. He increases his work hours as Papa’s disability becomes more severe, and does so while attending school. He performs paternal functions toward Roberto by teaching him to drive a car and bringing him to local dances in order to socialize. Roberto’s first romantic involvement with an American girl, Marjorie, is unsuccessful due to her stepfather’s prejudice against Mexicans. Subsequently, he meets and is happily married to Darlene, with whom he has a daughter, Jackie. An adherent to cultural tradition, Roberto asks for his parents’ blessing prior to becoming engaged to Darlene. 

Mr. Osterveen is a Spanish teacher and the moderator of the Spanish club at Francisco’s high school. He endorses Francisco’s idea to stage a Christmas food drive for local needy families; ironically, Mama is a recipient of one of the boxes of groceries collected by the club and delivered by the Salvation Army. He is married to a woman from Mexico, speaks Spanish fluently, and spent time living in Mexico. When Papa appears unready to endorse the idea of Francisco attending college, it is Mr. Osterveen’s visit to the family home that sways the older man’s opinion. 

Mr. Penney is Francisco’s high school guidance counselor. He is the primary mover behind the young man’s decision to apply to college and explains the application forms for scholarships and student loans. Without Mr. Penney’s help, Francisco would have remained unaware of the financial assistance available to allow him to pursue his dream.

Trampita is Francisco’s younger brother. As an infant, he was left to sleep in a tent with Francisco and Roberto on a mattress placed on the ground while his parents worked the night shift at the canning factory. During the night, while his siblings slept, Trampita rolled out of the tent. He is purple and nearly frozen, and has herniated his navel from crying for so long. He is called “Trampita” (Little Tramp) because Mama dressed him in clothing that she found in the city dump. Trampita cheerfully assumes Francisco’s janitorial job in order to allow his older brother to leave home to attend college.