July, Chapter 4: Armando Summary and Analysis

A Latino male, twenty-four, had been shot a few hours earlier. One bullet had entered his neck right below his brain and penetrated the spinal cord. Armando Dimas was paralyzed from the chin down. The doctors were certain he wouldn't make it. Armando appears to have little brain damage. Armando is thought to have no chance of recovery. Keeping Armando alive and giving him occupational therapy will cost Hermann an enormous amount of money and with no prospect of recovery it is not clear that the cost of Armando's care can be justified. Due to a language barrier, Armando's family is unable to understand little of Armando's condition. The mother, Victoria Dimas, is said to have always been afraid that Armando would get hurt or killed due to his "weakness for bad things" (54).

Armando and his family...