Yunior

Yunior is the narrator of the novel. He is nine years old and lives in the Dominican Republic. Yunior himself is impressionable, and his generally decent comportment is often negatively influenced by his more hostile older brother, Rafa. Nonetheless, Yunior still looks to his older brother for guidance, and he rarely thinks to doubt Rafa's statements or decisions.

The character of Yunior appears in many Junot Diaz stories, although he is usually portrayed in his life in the United States following his family's immigration. "Ysrael" provides a rare glimpse into Yunior's childhood in the Dominican Republic, and the events of the story serve to represent the many hazards and hardships that Yunior faces as a child from a relatively impoverished family.

Rafa

Rafa is Yunior's older brother. He is twelve years old in this story, and he is the main driving force of the narrative action. Rafa is...