Chapter 1 – Raphael
Raphael Fernández introduces himself as a fourteen-year-old boy who lives and works in Behala, a huge rubbish dump near a city in a poor, unnamed country (it’s similar to the Philippines). He and his best friend Gardo spend every day sorting through piles of rubbish, hoping to find something valuable to sell. Life is extremely hard — the air stinks, people live in shacks, and survival depends on what they can scavenge.
One day, Raphael discovers a small brown leather bag in the trash. Inside are three important things: a map, an ID card, a key, and ₱1,100 (a lot of money for someone as poor as him). Raphael and Gardo share the money and hide the rest of the items.
Soon after, a police truck arrives at the dumpsite. The police are searching for a missing bag and are offering a large reward for anyone who finds it. Raphael realises the bag he found must be the same one — but he decides to keep it secret, even though it’s dangerous.
Questions:
- Describe Raphael’s life from what you have learned in chapter 1.
- Would you like to live in this world? Explain your answer with reference to the first chapter.
- How has the author included a sense of mystery in this chapter? Explain.
- How does he make money?
- What advantage does Raphael and Gardo have over the old people and the kids?