Recommended by Paul

__________________________________Burro Genius________________________________
Title of Novel

I. Author – Victor Villasenor

A. Lifespan (When did the author live?)

1940 - present

B. Background (Where and under what conditions did the author live?)

Oceanside, California – Wealthy Mexican family living on a ranch with parents, 2 sisters and an older brother.
C. Relevant facts (List a few important facts about the author’s life.)
Wealthy Mexican family, undiagnosed dyslexia and resultant learning disability caused author to be held back in third grade twice and eventually quit high school after ninth grade, older brother died when author was 9 years old

D. Notable works (Name and tell the types of the author’s most important publications.)

First published work was book titled, Macho in 1973. He also had a family trilogy of books published, Rain of Gold, Wild Steps of Heaven, and Thirteen Senses. Author received 265 rejection letters before getting first book published. He has been a prolific writer. Villasenor has had nine novels, sixty-five short stories and a screenplay published or produced.


E. Influence of life on works (Relate how events in the author’s life influenced his writing.)

Villasenor, grew up in the 1940’s in southern California. He was a Spanish speaking Mexican child in an English only America school system. Further complicating his struggle to fit in and thrive was his undiagnosed dyslexia and a continuing line of discriminatory, abusive teachers bent on breaking his spirit and putting “his kind” in their place. He gets through this mostly by having an active imagination and strong family support and understanding.
His older brothers death when author was nine and a substitute teacher later at military school were also large influences on Villasenor and his future writing.










II. Brief plot summary (What happened throughout the story?)


The story begins at a teachers conference in 1973 that Villasenor is attending. The author has just had his first book published and, when the keynote speaker is unavailable, volunteers to be the main speaker. He finds himself railing on furiously at the teachers as his past memories and painful experience with teachers comes flooding back. Later a gentlemen from the teachers union congratulated him on his speech and the passion of his message. He tells Villasenor that, “Wake up calls are good, but we need to know about those teachers who had a constructive influence on you,…I admire your perseverance, and if you could tell us how you acquired this perseverance, that in itself would help us tremendously.” (Burro Genius, 20-21)
This got Villasenor recalling his childhood and the events that helped shape him into the writer and person he was. The book then becomes a retelling of his young life and education, both formal and familial, beginning with kindergarten and going thru his freshman year of high school.


III. Characters (Who are the main characters in the story?)
Victor Villasenor Joseph Villasenor – Victors older brother Lupe Villasenor – Victor’s mother
Salvador Villasenor – Victor’s father Shep – Victor’s brothers dog Extended family at ranch
Numerous teachers – most noteworthy being; the substitute, Mr. Swift and Captian Moses at military school
A. Relationships (How are the main characters related to each other or important to the story?)
· Salvadore Villasenor is Victor’s father. He is a large influence in Victor’s life. He instructs him in the ways of becoming a man.
· Lupe Villasenor is Victor’s mom. She is his protector and provides him comfort as he struggles with school and growing up.
· Joseph Villasenor is Victor’s older brother. Victor looks up to Joseph and Joseph also acts as a confidant to Victor in helping him adjust to school and grow up.
· Shep is Joseph’s dog. Victor spends a lot of time with him hunting and roaming the countryside. He is a friend and companion to Victor.
· The numerous teachers in Victor’s life all seem to run together and have the same abusive patterns of discrimination and degradation. A substitute teacher named Mr. Swift stands out as the lone teacher to encourage Victor’s writing by not worrying about punctuation and grammar. Captain Moses, a teacher at the military school stands out because he is one of the last teachers Victor had and he was one of the cruelest. His disrespect and demeaning of Victor caused him much pain and anguish.
B. Development (How does the author show the increasing importance of the main characters? Include brief quotations, if possible.)
Villasenor develops his characters by the way they interact with one another. The primary characters are his family members and he brings this out by detailing the way they interact and support one another against everything and everyone. The other main “character” is the various teachers and people at the schools he attends. These characters all share similar traits and are developed as a group. They are mostly nameless and faceless but similar in their actions.








IV. Setting (Where and when does the story take place?)
A. Time and time span
A teacher’s conference in 1973 and back to the 1940’s
B. Place
Oceanside, California
C. Importance of setting to the story (Could the story take place at any other time or place?)
It could have and probably did happen in many places in the U.S. during this time period for Mexicans, Blacks, and Japanese Americans.
V. Conflict (What is the main problem?)
Victor’s undiagnosed dyslexia and 1940’s stereotypes and prejudices’ regarding Mexicans results in Victor feeling stupid, ostracized, and angry.

VI. Resolution (How is the problem solved?)
It never really gets resolved. Victor perseveres primarily through the love, support, and understanding of his family and he learns to adjust and cope with his situation.
VII. Vocabulary
A.
1. Definition
Burro – A small horse, a donkey, biblically called an “ass”, one of the older and most widely used animals for work and burden throughout much of the world.
2. Quotation (including page number) from text
This definition is from the preface of the book, Burro Genius.
B.
1. Definition
Genius – A guardian deity, or spirit of a person (guardian spirit). It is also a person having great mental capacity or an inventive personality.
2. Quotation (including page number) from text
This definition is from the preface of the book, Burro Genius.
C.
1. Definition
Manners don’t take away bravery, and that bravery didn’t diminish manners.
2. Quotation (including page number) from text
“Lo cortes no quita lo valiante, y lo valiante no quita lo cortes.” (Burro Genius, 50)

D.
1. Definition
Tell me who you walk with and I’ll tell you who you are.
2. Quotation (including page number) from text
“Always remember,” added my dad, “dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres.” (Burro Genius, 80)
E.
1. Definition
A man for all seasons.
2. Quotation (including page number) from text
“I was on my way to becoming un hombre a las todas, a man for all seasons.” (Burro Genius, 141)
VIII. Personal criticism and recommendation
A. Criticism (What literary tools did the author employ to tell the story? Cite examples from the novel. How effectively was the story written? What tools did the director and producer employ to show the story? Cite examples from the movie. How effectively was the story portrayed on film?)

The author used several literary tools in relating his story. Among them were:
· Personification – The trees, dogs, and dolphins all spoke to Victor and he could in turn communicate with them.
· Foreshadowing – When his brother needed increased rest and began to tire easily. The reader knows something bad is going to happen to Victor’s older brother.
· Similes – In discussing the stars and how they shone like mirrors.

The story was wonderfully written by starting as an adult and regressing to childhood to uncover the source of the authors perseverance in spite of the challenges he faced as a young boy.





B. Recommendation (Would you suggest that others read this novel or watch this movie? State reasons. Give examples from the text or the movie, if possible. Which medium did you prefer? State reasons and cite examples.)

I would recommend this book to everyone. It appeals to the reader on many different levels.

The book is written in a very aggressive, straightforward, and simple style. This coupled with the content and the stark manner in which it is presented will make it a bit unsettling to some. The time period this happened in and the open discrimination and hostility shown minorities throughout our learning institutions and society in general is very graphic. Some examples of this are:
· Segregating the minorities in the back of the classroom
· Rules against speaking any language other than English and the severe punishment for disobeying
· Stereo-typing of Mexicans as dirty, lazy, lying, knife carrying people

However, it also has strong messages of family, culture, tradition, love, respect, perseverance and forgiveness that made Burro Genius a fascinating read. Examples of this are:
· Victors parents continue to move him to different schools where the money can influence the teachers to advance their son
· The families strong cultural beliefs in guardian spirits and communication with all living things in nature
· The life lessons taught to Victor by both his father and his older brother in becoming a man