The Afterlife

The Afterlife
Soto, Gary. 2003. The Afterlife. Orlando:Harcourt. ISBN 0152052208.

PLOT SUMMARY
Seventeen-year-old Jesús, known as Chuy, is brutally murdered in a nightclub restroom by a cholo, a gangster. But that is not the end of the story, it is the beginning, as Chuy's ghost rises from his body and begins a new life, an afterlife. Chuy negotiates his new world with a sense of purpose and wonderment. He seeks to find closure as he bids farewell to his old life, friends, and family; and his "afterlife" takes on new meaning as he meets the ghosts of a homeless man, and a beautiful girl. Can a not-so-handsome ghost find a girlfriend? Through it all, he retains his boyish sense of humor and wonderment.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The Afterlife, by prolific and acclaimed author, Gary Soto, is both a serious and a humorous look at the meaning of a life. Upon his demise, Chuy is able to view his world from a new perspective, both literally and figuratively, as he floats above his hometown of Fresno.

He sees the distress of his friends and family, but notes that he will soon be forgotten, “a photo in a yearbook, nada más”. He realizes the value of a single life, as he tries with mixed success to save the life of a homeless man. He learns the uselessness of revenge as he faces his murderer. He meets Crystal, a ghost who may be his true love.

Characteristic of his short life, Chuy is able to float through the afterlife with a sense of wonder, as well as a sense of humor. Watching the police break up a loud fighting couple, Chuy kicks back in the couple’s recliner, feet up. “This was better than a telenovela.” Unable to eat or drink, he spies a pot of coffee at his home, “I can’t believe it…I hadn’t even lived long enough to have coffee.”

In the end, the only answers to the mystery of the afterlife are the answers that Chuy finds for himself. He continues his journey through the unknown; not regretful, but grateful.

The Afterlife is an intralingual young adult novel, liberally peppered with Spanish words and phrases. The use of Spanish gives color and authenticity to the story, however those readers unfamiliar with any Spanish words may find themselves constantly flipping to the included glossary. Some Spanish words can only be determined through contextual translation.

Other cultural markers in the story include a strong connection to the Roman Catholic faith, the intimate relationships between family and close family friends, and frequent references to common Mexican foods. The Afterlife is not a stereotypical Mexican story featuring holidays, immigrants, migrants or food. Rather, The Afterlife is a fine example of Hispanic Literature that embraces the Mexican culture, yet appeals to any audience.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"While the premise could sound dark and morose, the novel is instead filled with hope and elegance. The author counterbalances difficult ideas with moments of genuine tenderness as well as a provocative lesson about the importance of savoring every moment--a lesson that Chuy, once fretful and insecure, comes to understand."

Roback, Diane, Brown, Jennifer M., Bean, Joy, Chenowith, Emily, and Jeff Zaleski. 2003. "THE AFTERLIFE (Book)." Publishers Weekly 250, no. 34: 65-66. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2007).

Soto writes with a much as light as Chuy's ghost and with humor, wonderment, and a generosity toward life.

2003. "THE AFTERLIFE (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 71, no. 18: 1183. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 27, 2007).

CONNECTIONS
Make a class project of writing letters to author, Gary Soto. Soto's website indicates that he is willing to answer letters when submitted from a class in a single envelope. Encourage students to ask meaningful questions. http://www.garysoto.com/faq.html#

Read other Gary Soto books, including Taking Sides or the short stories in Baseball in April.

Ask the students if their town has a neighborhood similar to Chuy's. Estimate the number or percentage of Mexican Americans in your town or county. Has the number increased, decreased? Why? Research the facts online using the US Census Bureau's QuickFacts database. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html