In “The Challenge”, Gary Soto introduces Jose as a young boy who experiences a change in his personality as he undergoes liminality.
Prior to liminality, Jose is a teenager boy who is ingenuous and has a lack of experience of loving a girl. Jose is naïve because he thinks that receiving perfect test scores will make Estela notice him. Jose is exited to show Estela his new grades in history class: “Although Jose received another A-plus for his history quiz, Estela did not congratulate him. Instead, she stuffed her test into her backpack in a hurry and left the classroom, leaving Jose alone to retake the quiz” (116). Due to Jose’s naivete, this event describes how he is still a young boy who did not have enough experience for loving a girl. Opposite of his initial self who does not study hard, Jose suddenly receives twenty out of twenty on his history test. Although his teacher asked him to retake the test thinking that Jose cheated, he is overjoyed because he thinks that when he shows his test to Estela, she will gain interest in him. Moreover, Jose is persuading Estela to believe that he is athletic and talented in sports as well. …show more content…
Jose tries to convince Estela that he is athletic and has won many tournaments. Estela carelessly asked Jose a question as she gobbles down her lunch: “As she asked Jose if he is good at racquetball, Jose said that he won a couple of tournaments without thinking” (117). With courage, Jose goes up and talks to Estela, as she is devouring her sandwich, Jose asks if she plays racquetball. Estela carelessly nods and asks him if he plays racquetball too. Without thinking, Jose lies about him being athletic and winning many tournaments in racquetball. In addition, Jose is not only cocky but he likes to show off his appearance and his
Prior to liminality, Jose is a teenager boy who is ingenuous and has a lack of experience of loving a girl. Jose is naïve because he thinks that receiving perfect test scores will make Estela notice him. Jose is exited to show Estela his new grades in history class: “Although Jose received another A-plus for his history quiz, Estela did not congratulate him. Instead, she stuffed her test into her backpack in a hurry and left the classroom, leaving Jose alone to retake the quiz” (116). Due to Jose’s naivete, this event describes how he is still a young boy who did not have enough experience for loving a girl. Opposite of his initial self who does not study hard, Jose suddenly receives twenty out of twenty on his history test. Although his teacher asked him to retake the test thinking that Jose cheated, he is overjoyed because he thinks that when he shows his test to Estela, she will gain interest in him. Moreover, Jose is persuading Estela to believe that he is athletic and talented in sports as well. …show more content…
Jose tries to convince Estela that he is athletic and has won many tournaments. Estela carelessly asked Jose a question as she gobbles down her lunch: “As she asked Jose if he is good at racquetball, Jose said that he won a couple of tournaments without thinking” (117). With courage, Jose goes up and talks to Estela, as she is devouring her sandwich, Jose asks if she plays racquetball. Estela carelessly nods and asks him if he plays racquetball too. Without thinking, Jose lies about him being athletic and winning many tournaments in racquetball. In addition, Jose is not only cocky but he likes to show off his appearance and his