Race
Bodega Dreams puts a lot of emphasis on different racial backgrounds. If you come from the same race as someone else, you consider that person's family whom you share the same blood and heritage, even though you’re not related. Dejesus and Chino insult each other because they come from different countries; Cuba and Puerto Rico, when in reality these two countries share a lot of their culture and heritage. Despite this, they have a great division between that they cannot seem to overlook. In the novel, there is a rivalry going on between the Spanish and Italian gangs. Just because the place is called Spanish Harlem doesn’t necessarily mean they are unified. They take their race, culture, and history seriously.
Loyalty
In a place like Spanish Harlem, loyalty is everything. In the novel, Sapo has always been loyal and dedicated to Chino’s requests. Everything begins to change when Blanca becomes pregnant and other things become more important. Blanca threatens to leave Chino if he keeps getting involved with Sapo. Chino has to decide who matters most between Sapo and Blanca. Eventually, Blanca leaves him because Chino is more loyal to Bodega’s scheme. Loyalty is a huge deal in Bodega Dreams because in an environment like Spanish Harlem, people need to be able to trust one another. Bodega says that he takes care of the community and the community takes care of him. In other words, loyalty is much more important than all money, which makes this the most central plot of Bodega Dreams.
