Detailed Plot Summary (Junior Cert English): Revision Notes

Detailed Plot Summary

Part One

Chapter 1: 'My name is Raphael'

• Raphael introduces himself and describes life working on the dumpsite in Behala.
• He and his best friend Gardo survive by scavenging through rubbish.
• Raphael has been doing this work since he was three years old.

Chapter 2: 'My unlucky-lucky day'

• Raphael finds a bag in the trash containing 1,100 pesos, an ID card, a key, and other items belonging to José Angelico.

• The boys split the money and keep the find a secret. Chapter 3: 'The police arrived and asked for it back'

• The police visit the dumpsite offering a large reward for the missing bag.

• Raphael's aunt tells the police he found something, but Raphael lies.

• Fearing danger, the boys move the bag to Rat's home.

Chapter 4: 'I want to tell about Rat'

• Rat lives in the worst part of the dump. He agrees to hide the bag.

• He identifies the key as belonging to a luggage locker at Central Station. Chapter 5: 'Gardo here'

• The boys delay going to the station while the police conduct a full search.

• The police don't find the bag, but Raphael and Gardo feel unsafe. Chapter 6: 'Gardo let us go to the station'

• The boys travel to Central Station and collect a coded letter addressed to Gabriel Olondriz, a prisoner at Colva Prison.

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Part Two

Chapter 1: 'My name is Father Juilliard'

• Father Juilliard runs the Mission School.

• He describes Rat's intelligence and Sister Olivia's affection for him.

• Rat researches José Angelico and Gabriel Olondriz online. Chapter 2: 'Now it gets serious'

• Raphael is arrested and violently interrogated by police.

• He refuses to speak and is eventually released, bruised and bloodied. Chapter 3: 'I just kept running steadily'

• Raphael reflects on José's death during police custody.

• The boys realise José stole six million dollars from a powerful government official. Chapter 4: 'My name is Grace'

• Grace, a former employee of Senator Zapanta, describes José Angelico as kind and trustworthy.

• José had a daughter named Pia Dante, but her whereabouts are unknown.

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Part Three

Chapter 1: 'I'm Olivia Weston'

• Gardo tricks Olivia into helping him visit his "grandfather" at prison.

• She agrees and travels with Gardo to Colva Prison. Chapter 2: 'Father Juilliard'

• Father Juilliard warns that Rat is about to trick him. Chapter 3: 'It was stupid'

• Olivia is horrified by the conditions at the dump and in the prison.

• They pay a bribe to gain access to Gabriel Olondriz. Chapter 4: 'all I saw was cages'

• Olivia is overwhelmed by the prison's inhumane conditions.

• Gabriel, an elderly man, is brought in to speak with Gardo. Chapter 5: 'Senator Zapanta stole it'

• Gabriel explains how he was framed by Zapanta for exposing corruption.

• He believes the coded letter refers to a Bible used for decryption. Chapter 6: 'I am so sorry'

• Gardo writes an apology letter to Olivia, explaining the boys had no choice. Chapter 7: 'I will tell you a little more'

• Gabriel gives more detail about his downfall.

• He is shocked to learn José has been killed. Chapter 8: 'Sister Olivia was a good friend'

• Raphael and Rat research more on Zapanta.

• Rat reveals he has saved money and dreams of moving to the island of Sampalo. Chapter 9: 'it's a castle'

• Rat and Raphael sneak into Zapanta's mansion.

• A friendly groundsman explains José stole the money in a fridge and was killed. Chapter 10: 'José Angelico was my grandson'

• Gabriel explains the letter's code is based on his Bible.

• A prison guard named Marco agrees to deliver it. Gabriel dies the next morning.

• Olivia is arrested and flown out of the country soon after.

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Part Four

Chapter 1: 'It gets bad, bloody and oh so dangerous!'

• The boys flee from the police and go into hiding.

• Gardo arranges to pay Marco for the Bible.

• Rat returns to Behala and steals 23,000 pesos from the Mission School safe. Chapter 2: 'we fixed up for the handover'

• Gardo meets Marco in a tea-house.

• After the exchange, Marco tries to trap him. Gardo escapes and passes the Bible to Rat. Chapter 3: 'we came within an ace of being caught'

• Police arrive at the boys' hideout. Chapter 4: 'the Bible and the paper'

• The boys decode the letter using the Bible.

• It leads them to a graveyard marked on the map. Chapter 5: 'this time they came quietly'

• The police return, but Rat helps the boys escape unnoticed. Chapter 6: 'running for your life'

• The boys blend into a street gang and catch a taxi to Naravo Cemetery. Chapter 7: 'I make grave memorials'

• Frederico Gonz, a gravestone maker, recalls José arranging a tomb for his daughter, Pia Dante.

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Part Five

Chapter 1: 'The Day of the Dead'

• The boys search the cemetery during a festival but find nothing at first. Chapter 2: 'We'd been looking in the wrong place'

• They realise they were searching in the rich section.

• In the poor section, they find the Angelico family tomb. Chapter 3: 'I've been waiting'

• The boys meet Pia Dante, José's daughter, who has been waiting for him. Chapter 4: 'What does six million dollars look like?'

• They feed Pia and give her shelter.

• That night, they break into the tomb and find the money hidden in a child's coffin. Chapter 5: 'the last part was my idea'

• The boys return to Behala.

• They scatter millions of pesos across the dumpsite for the poor to collect.

• They leave with Pia and take a train to Sampalo. Chapter 6: 'We will fish forever and live happy lives'

• The boys buy fishing boats and settle in Sampalo.

• They live peacefully, finally free.

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Appendix: A letter from José Angelico

• José explains how he stole the money from Senator Zapanta to return it to the poor.
• He asks whoever finds it to take care of Pia Dante.
• His final words: "It is accomplished."