Myrna E. Vega
Professor Stacey Knapp
English 1B
March 8, 2011
“Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga”
Sonny Bravo is a fifteen-year-old Mexican American portrayed in The Flowers written by Dagoberto Gilb. Sonny has come to live at Las Flores apartment complex with his mother Silvia and stepfather Cloyd Longpre. Sonny at the beginning of the novel is a laid back teenager who does not seem to have any cares or worries about the present or his future. Before Cloyd, Sonny’s mother was always working or on the go, “My mom would be around for maybe an hour or two, and she’d either change clothes and leave or be so tired she went into her bedroom and went to sleep” (6). It was certain that Sylvia never had time for Sonny on an individual basis. Sonny never seemed like a happy teenager from the beginning. Sonny did not have a father figure but also lacked a mother figure because, of the fact that Sylvia was always preoccupied with herself. Sonny wants to do what he believes is the right thing to do and also does what he is told to do because he wants Sylvia to be happy with him and her new surroundings. “It’ll be good living here,” she said. “Don’t you think?” “I nodded like I was trying to really mean it.” “You’ll see” (17). Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga, the owner’s of the Alley Cats diner, fulfilling as parental figures Sonny never had and provide a temporary replacement for the family he yearns for. I am writing from the reader response theory perspective to explain how visiting the Zuniga's gives Sonny a family environment.
Sonny has lacked many things throughout his life that we hold to be priceless. Sonny never had a male role model who he could call his father. Sonny once had a family surrounding him when his grandmother lived but, lost that sense of belonging somewhere when she passed. “I used to hang out with my grandma, who didn’t speak English, and I could talk with my primos who lived there with my tíos, but that all stopped once Grandma died.” “I never saw my cousins no more after that either.” (37-38) Sonny never had the complete nurturing from his mother Sylvia that each child desires. There was minimal to no attention and praise given to him. “I couldn’t remember the last time she kissed me anywhere, unless it was for show when she’d also be drinking.” “You know one of those Que guapo es my little man!”, and then a hard smooch like she couldn’t resist me, leaving her audience, her fans, usually her girlfriends, “giggling and aahing.” (18) The mother that Sonny hoped Sylvia would become seemed far from reach with the little acts she portrayed.
Sonny loved to go to the corner diner with the bowling alley, Alley Cats owned by a Mexican couple Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga whom spoke Spanish. Sonny really liked eating there and wanted to get used to going into the diner because Mrs. Zuniga liked asking him questions which he enjoyed. It was a diner with six lanes and Sonny was the only one who ever bowled. At the beginning it was nerve wrecking for Sonny because instead of everyone watching TV the customers on the stools at the counter would watch Sonny bowl. Although after a while he got over it. The diner was filled with a bunch of old men with bad eyesight and lonely drunks which Sonny stated they probably had nowhere else to go either. Sonny paid close attention of the individual duties Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga had. “Mrs. Zuniga did all the floors and dusting and dishwashing and cooking, and Mr. Zuniga had the tools, the register, the trash, the beer openers, and changed the channel on the TV up in the corner.”(55) Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga were always smiling but mostly Mrs. Zuniga smiled and winked at Sonny.
Sonny paid close attention to what was going on in the environment of the Alley Cats diner because, to Sonny it was a home, “To me it was going into a home except there was a bar and bowling alley and a cash register.” (55) Sonny felt cared for with the homemade food and the little extra attention Mrs. Zuniga gave to Sonny which we all know he’s not used to. Mrs. Zuniga always giving him so much more of everything, I believe that for Sonny this was the family he desired. When he walked into this diner to Sonny it was more of a home to him than a dirty bar. “I already put my favorite ball in a corner of the rack at the most distant corner, and I never had to worry about it getting moved.”(56) Sonny knew that no matter who came in he was always expected. Sonny had his place in the diner without any worries of bringing in money if he didn’t have any which is typical of a family member.
I believe Sonny is hungry for food when he visits the Zuniga’s at the Alley Cats but, he also hungers for the sense of a family. He wants what every other child and teenager desires and that is a family. He sees the Zuniga’s as parental figures or grandmother and grandfather figures to him. Mrs. Zuniga always asking if he’s okay, how his day has gone and serving him like a grandmother would do for his grandson. If you recall when Sonny’s grandmother was alive she expressed herself in Spanish and showed her grandchildren the meaning of togetherness and family. I believe Sonny see’s his grandmother in Mrs. Zuniga just like his grandmother Mrs. Zuniga only speaks Spanish. “Por que siempre cenas aquí, muchachito?” “She always spoke to me in Spanish.” (145) Mrs. Zuniga always shows concern for Sonny especially once she gets to know him and his home life situation with Sylvia and his stepfather Cloyd.
Sonny always had it in his thoughts that he should always be at the Alley Cats diner because, he felt so comfortable there. Why not eat their every single day but, then he felt embarrassed because this would mean Mrs. Zuniga would think he did not want to be at home. He also had respect towards the Zuniga’s like you do with your grandparents or parents which leads me to believe that he sees them more like family then just the corner diner owner’s. “I cussed loud this once when I missed a way-easy spare, and that’s when Mr. Zuniga shouted at me that if I didn’t watch my mouth, he wouldn’t let me bowl here again.”(146) Sonny always defending himself or talking back would never do that with the Zuniga’s because he didn’t want to screw up because he wanted to come back to the diner. Sonny even said I’m sorry to Mr. Zuniga as he was leaving the diner and Mr. Zuniga said “Thank you very much.” (146) Mr. Zuniga thanked Sonny I believe because to earn respect you must give respect and mutually they liked one another.
Sonny knows Mr. and Mrs. Zuniga as well as you would get to know someone you cared about this also tells the reader that he feels closeness to them and desires their well being. For example, the scene with the two African Americans in the diner Sonny sensed Mr. Zuniga’s fear and Mrs. Zuniga’s nervous front. Even though the men looked like two well dressed business men because of their ethnicity this made the Zuniga’s uncomfortable. Sonny assisted the Zuniga’s with the two African American customers by translating and giving the Zuniga’s a sense of comfort that he was there to ease the situation at hand. I believe Sonny again helped the Zuniga’s because in many ways they have made him feel at home and have gone beyond hosting him like a family member which in return Sonny is doing the same for the Zuniga’s.
Sonny noticed that Mrs. Zuniga always showed concern for him like he wished he had at home. “Why are you here at this hour, muchachito? “It’s late for a young boy.” “Aren’t you in school by the morning?” (186) If Sonny was hungry he knew where to go where he felt at home to the Alley Cats diner. No matter what time he got there he was feed and taken care of as well as listened to if he needed to talk to relieve his mind and put him at ease. “She didn’t ask what I wanted to eat.” “She made me a plate of enchiladas with hamburger meat and onion and chunks of green chile with white cheese all over it.” “Beans, rice.” “It was as good as food got!” “Home cooking.” “If only my mom cooked.” (187) Sonny felt comfortable enough to where he could tell Mrs. Zuniga what went on at home like if he were speaking with his grandmother. Mrs. Zuniga treating him like a grandson “She gave me two more enchiladas while she was talking.” “They were the last ones in a glass casserole.” “I could’ve eaten more.” (187) “Thank you,” “I told her as she took the plate.” “Until tomorrow,” she said. (188) “Mr. Zuniga didn’t look at me when I asked him how much I owed.” “He barely shook his head.” “Thank you very much,” he said.” (188) Just like a grandmother does Mrs. Zuniga at times even went out of her way to make Sonny feel comfortable and bring up his spirits. Just like in the scene when Sonny comes in all upset and does not want to eat and he states he’s not hungry Mrs. Zuniga brings him a hamburger and chocolate shake anyway. Mrs. Zuniga never brought food to the lanes before but, this time she did for Sonny’s sake, “You feel better.” (207) The last time that Sonny went to the Alley Cats diner is when he realized that the diner was busted up. Sonny showed concern for the Zuniga’s especially Mrs. Zuniga. Sonny and Mrs. Zuniga I believe lifted up each other spirits when something was making them feel bad or uneasy they seemed to be there for each other. Mrs. Zuniga was I believe a grandmother for Sonny.
With the Zuniga’s Sonny had a sense that he belonged somewhere that someone actually cared for him and what happened to him. Sonny had a home in his mind that he could come to and express how he felt as well as ease his mind and body of any bad thoughts he was carrying with him. Sonny in some strange way had the family he yearned for throughout his life. Sonny seemed happier when he was with the Zuniga’s he seemed to make the best of what the world had in store for him when he was at the diner. Sonny’s void for the need of love and family was given and shown by Mrs. Zuniga throughout the novel The Flowers.
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