Like a ball
In the first chapter, Luis mentions the number of times he and his family were forced to move and how every time they moved he had to start over in a strange environment, with no friends and no one to turn to. After a big fight, Luis’s parents decided to separate and Alfonso took his family to the train station so they could return to Mexico. At the train station, Maria decided to move back in with her husband and to try and work things out. In that instance, Luis compares himself with a ball, bouncing from one place to another. This comparison has the purpose of showing that Luis felt as if there was stability in his life.
Metaphor for a change of perspective
In the third chapter, Luis mentions that one of his friends was shot by a member in a rival gang and that he lost an eye as a result. The scene is important because it marks the moment when Luis starts seeing the gangs in a different way. Thus, the lost eye is here used as a metaphor for loss of clarity and for the beginning of a new perspective.
Like a gang
Luis mentions the LAPD’’s brutality and the way in which they used to abuse their power. To show just how vicious the LAPD was, Luis compares the police force with a gang. This comparison has the purpose of highlighting the idea that the police was just another violent group trying to cover their backs and do what was good for them.
Metaphor for power
Since the characters in the book are all gang members or affiliated in some way or another with various gangs, they all have weapons or know someone who has weapons. In the world where Luis lived, having a weapon meant having power thus the firearms are used here as a metaphor for power.
Marriage
Marriage in the book is not described as being a positive thing. Maria for example is trapped in a relationship with Alfonso she can’t escape and even though she knows that her husband cheats on her, she can do nothing about it. Then, Luis mentions one of his acquaintances, a girl named Payasa who got married after she got pregnant but who was then abused by her husband. It is no wonder thus that Luis compares marriage to a prison, highlighting the idea that it is not beneficial for no one to be trapped in a loveless marriage.
