Reaching Out

Narrating the story in the present, the author depicts his early-adult self as a gentle, thoughtful, ethical, and sensitive youth. Frank habitually weighs his actions and considers their effect on others; for example, in Chapter 14, he shows consideration for Smokey’s feelings by delaying telling him about his decision to leave school. Frank’s struggle to balance his duties toward his family with his responsibilities in school is a central conflict of the book. Frank is morally conscientious, as is shown in the shame he feels after getting drunk for the first time. He is apt to carry guilt around with him (e.g., about his legal status in the country) which he feels impelled to confess and put right again. Frank lacks self-confidence, which makes him prey to continual worry and self-doubt, manifesting in headaches and other physical pains. But Frank’s hard work, perseverance, and hope ultimately spur him on to greater achievements.

Although from a working-class background and accustomed to physical labor, Frank has strong intellectual curiosity and interests. He enjoys Western civilization class because of his interest in the Greeks, Romans, and Spanish explorers, and he also relishes studying Latin American literature. Frank is a young man of strong religious

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