Analysis Sally’s father is one of the most oppressive male characters in the book, and the situation implies that Sally is trying to escape her abusive home life through sexual experimentation with boys. Esperanza still thinks this sexual experience is glamorous, and she doesn’t connect Sally’s horrible father with Sally’s need to escape. Sally does inspire a feeling of protectiveness in Esperanza, as she tries to shelter Sally from pain and the outside world – but it turns out that this is the same sentiment that paradoxically and tragically leads her father to beat her. Summary Sally admits that her father hits her, but she says that he never hits her hard. She comes to school bruised and scarred and says that she fell, but everyone knows