Cajas de Carton

“He told Roberto that he, Fito, didn't have to get up at four in the morning anymore, like my brother, to milk the five cows by hand and carry the milk in a large aluminum can on horse for several miles to the nearest road […] He didn't have to go to the river for water, sleep on dirt floors, or use candles for light.”

This quote comes early in the book, before the family moves to California. Fito speaks here about his new life in a city in Mexico. This is the first conception that Roberto and Jimenez have of the possibility of a life without hard labor and poverty, though their family will not achieve this.

"Papa ate quickly because he did not want to lose time from work. Roberto and I ate slowly, trying to make time last a bit longer."

In this quote, Jimenez stays behind to watch baby Trampita while Roberto, Mama, and Papa work the fields. This is just after the family has crossed the border into California. This quote demonstrates the determination of Papa to work hard, and the naivete and innocence of Roberto and Jimenez, who wish for a more leisurely childhood. This is specifically illustrated temporally: for Papa, as a worker, success and survival are measured by how fast he can pick, and there is almost never enough time. Conversely, Jimenez wishes time would go faster, as he often feel alone and bored.