Trash Part 1 summary

Book "Trash" part 1 by Andy Mulligan is a story about three boys that live in a dumbsite at Behala sorting out rubbish. The main characters of "Trash" are Raphael, Gardo and Rat.
The mystery began when Raphael and Gardo found a small leather bag. In the bag there was a wallet, map, a key, picture of a girl in a school uniform and a ID card. Soon as Raphael and Gardo found the bag the police came to the dumpsite in Behala and asked the workers in the dumpsite to help find the bag. Raphael and Gardo straight knew that that bag was something very important because the police were paying the person who finds it , a large amount of money, and give money to every family in Behala. Raphael is a smart boy, he knew that you cannot trust the police in Behala, so Raphael told the police that he haven't found anything but a lady shoe. Rat is a boy, and his real name is Jun-Jun but he is called Rat because he lived with the rats and became like them. Raphael and Gardo took the bag to where Rat lives because they thought that place is the only place that the police wouldn't look and they were afraid that the police would find the bag if they kept it. Raphael and Gardo showed Rat what they found and what was in it. All three boys were trying to figure out what the key was for, and Rat knew what the key was for, it was for one of the locks in the Central Station, Rat knew because before he lived there nearly a year. The next day boys just pretended to look for the bag that they already found, so the police doesn't suspect that they already found it.

In "Trash" part 1 there are two main themes. One of them is "dangers of poverty". One of an example of a "danger of poverty" is "I knew a boy lost an arm that way" (page 7, 10th line), poverty is very dangerous because you could lose a arm while working in the trash. Another example of "danger of poverty" is "You can get caught in a fall, and it's heavy stuff. I've never known anyone killed, but one kid broke bones, falling badly. When Smoky went down, there were nearly a hundred killed." (page 21-22). This example tells us that you could get squashed by rubbish or when you fall on the rubbish you would break your bones.

Second theme is "police corruption". One of an example of "police corruption" is " Boys like us opening luggage lockers? It wouldn't have to be police. It would be anyone who noticed. They'd assume right away that we were thieving and thieving boys get no mercy from anyone" (page 40, 1st paragraph) and if someone reports them to the police they are more likely going to get arrested and put in jail. Another example of "police corruption" is "But everyone knows not to trust too far" that is Raphael talking about the police. This tells us that you cannot trust the police in Behala.