Character sketches (by students of Chicano Literature)

Zoila Reyes: When Celay is growing up, her mother is in her mid-30's, homemaker.
Zoila is Mexican-American woman married to Inocencio. She was born in Chicago. She seeks some independence from Inocencio; she would like to go out and work, but Inocencio won't allow her to work.

Inocencio Reyes: Son of Narciso and Soledad, the eldest of the Reyes boys.
He is married to Soledad and father to six boys, Celaya and Candelaria.  Went to college in Mexico, while in Mexico part of the landowing class. After one semester, he leaves for United States, and joins the military to get out of jail.  He is a dreamer that believes in healthy lies.

Rafael, Refugio, Gustavo, Alberto, Lorenzo, Guillermo:
Raphael is the oldest, born in Chicago, attended military school in Mexico, son of Inocencio and Zoila.
Refugio (Ito) is the second oldest, also born in Chicago, attends college.
Gustavo (Tikis) third oldest, attending college.  Alberto (Toto) the mother's favorite, # 137 in the draft (December  20).
Guillermo (Memo) drives over the chicken; no one trusts him to drive although he always wants to

Celaya, the narrator of Caramelo, ages from roughly four to eighteen years of age in the story.  Born in Chicago, Celaya is the granddaughter
of Soledad, and daughter of Inocencio and Zoila Reyes. She says "I am the favorite child of a favorite child.  I know my worth,"
(Cisneros 231).  Celaya seeks out to discover the story of her Awful Grandmother, which, as stated by Celaya, "is my story" (Cisneros 172).

Awful Grandmother Reyes (Soledad):
Soledad is in her 60's.  Before she was "awful," she had a troublesome childhood moving home to home.  As an orphan, she lives with Aunt Fina, and then with Regina, Sh marries Narciso and has four children.  All of her attention goes towards the two loves of her life, Narciso and Incencio.  Her pain and anguish come from loving Narciso too much; it is not being reciprocal.

Little Grandfather (Narciso)
(faithful to Mexican government during Mexican Revolution of 1910)
Born in Mexico, early 60's, deceased. Middle to Upper class. Son to Regina and Eleuterio, Husband to Soledad, Father to Inocencio,
Frederico, Armando and Norma. Married Soledad out of a sense of honor. Indifferent to Soledad asking him any questions about any family drama; claiming he's already dead.

Aunty Light Skin (Norma) and her daughter Araceli:
Norma is about in her early 30's, she was born in Mexico, she is Soledad's daughter, that she neglects.  She didn't finish High School,
and she is middle-class.  Araceli is between 19-20, she was born in Mexico, she started Tech shool, then stopped and got married.  Araceli  is
Aunty Light Skin's daughter.

Uncle Baby and Aunty Ninfa (daughters, Amor and Paz):
Uncle Baby born in Mexico. Aunty Ninfa is Italian American.  The couple "live like movie stars" (12).  Aunty Ninfa doesn't like the mess and being bothered by her two girls.  They spoil their girls Amor and Paz and their house smells of cigarettes and AC which the narrator associated with elegance.

Amparo, the washerwoman and Candelaria, her daughter
Amparo, does not look her age; she looks older.
Candelaria, is a servant and dresses in raggedy clothing.  She has teeth "like corn." She is of Indian heritage from a country village, Nayarit.
She is the "other".  Celaya immediatley bonds with her.
Candelaria has skin the color of caramel (like the caramelo rebozo); she lacks education and her clothing is old.

Oralia, the servant for the Awful Grandmother