If Zezé is the heart of the story, Manuel Valadares—affectionately known as "Portuga" (the Portuguese man)—is the soul. A successful, well-to-do man who lives nearby, he initially appears as a figure of fear for Zezé, who thinks the man is angry with him.
An older Portuguese man who owns the finest car in the neighborhood my sweet orange tree book characters
If Zeze is the wounded soul, Manuel Valadares—affectionately called "Portuga" because of his Portuguese heritage—is the healer. The friendship between Zeze and Portuga is the heart and soul of the novel. It is one of the most tender, meaningful adult-child relationships in literary history. If Zezé is the heart of the story,
The tree represents Zezé’s innocence and his internal world, blooming as he finds joy and withering as he faces tragedy. The Soulmate: Manuel Valadares (Portuga) The friendship between Zeze and Portuga is the