The book, Their Dogs Came with Them, tells a very intriguing story of four characters growing up in East Los Angeles when the freeways constructions took place ruining many neighborhoods. Through out the book I find that Tranquilina is the most interesting character in the story because she does not lose her faith in spite of everything she sees. She does not live in a safe and peaceful environment yet does not hold a grudge against it. She witnesses the murder of Nacho by the McBride boys. Tranquilina and her family of missionaries try to do well for he community through their deep sense of hop and connection to faith.
Although her story is not as mysterious as the other characters of the novel she is none the less a key component to the novels gothic elements. Her religion and experiences bring us towards the uncertainty of the novel and knowing her story makes us understand and witness a different side to similar events the other characters are experiencing.
I like that you’ve mentioned Tranquilina’s faith. I think this is a very important component of the book because as you have mentioned, each character is different and each bring different elements to the book, but I like that Tranquilina has a religion she follows and that she remains optimistic. Everything that is going on, with the gang members life and murders, I feel that it all ties in with the gothic element. The topic of religion is mixed in well because I know religion has been one of the topic of our past readings (such as Bless Me, Ultima). I think Tranquilina is one of the characters any reader that is Latino and from any “bad/higher percentage of crime”place in Los Angeles can relate on some sort of level because when things tend to go wrong, such as witnessing murders or hearing about gang members and their killing sprees, people start to question their faith or possibly lose it. I know keeping some sort of faith is very important for the Latino community, so I am very interested in Tranquilina’s faith not being questioned or being lost. It is nice to have an optimistic character in a story filled with gothic elements.
I, too like Tranquilina’s characters, specifically for some of the same reasons such as her optimism and benevolence to her family and those she encounters. However, after reading further into the novel, Tranquilina does actually begin to question her faith — at the service she serves at, she gives insight as to just how her faith has been dwindling because of the vast amount of crime and unfortunate events that have happened to her, and those she knows. I feel that Tranquilina feels as if she is caught in a rut — nowhere to go, no one new to meet, her town deteriorating with the intrusion of the QA and the construction of the freeways. To me, it feels like Tranquilina is tired of her mundane life — though she does portray herself as positive and uplifting, I get the sense that underneath all that lies an uncertain, depressed Tranquilina. However, these characteristics of Tranquilina’s situation are relatable to everyone within the story. Turtle, too, faces the deterioration of her family, as she recalls her father’s relentless beatings of her mother.