The Monkey Garden Greg Jenkins

The Monkey Garden

The main characters in this chapter is Espiranza, Sally, Tito and his friends.

In this chapter there is a garden and a monkey that lived there with the owners and one day they all moved so now the garden is able to be accessed. At first the garnden was beautiful with flowers and insects. Then as time went on it got out of control. The flowers grow wildly and 'dead' cars started to appear and eventually fill the garden up. Espiranza and he friends played games in the garden probably to get away from their parents. This is where Espiranza "wanted to die and where I tried one day but not even the monkey garden would have me"(pg.96). Then with Sally, Tito and his friends. Tito and his friends had Sally's keys and said that they wouldn't give it back untill she kissed them. So they all went behind a car. Espiranza went to tell Tito's mom and she didn't do anything so she left and went to "save" Sally. Sshe got three big sticks and a brick. Sally said to go home. Espiranza fan away to the other side of the garden, sat down under a tree and tried not to cry, but she did. She wanted to die.Espiranza tried to 'will' her heart to stop beating. She failed and instead woke up a mess. "and the garden that had been such a good place to play didn't seem mine either."(pg.98)

How do you suppose Espiranza "tried to die"?

"the family spoke like guitars."

I think this means that the family spoke in a southern accent.