Portuga becomes the ideal father figure Zeze craves. He does not beat or yell. Instead, he listens. He takes Zeze for ice cream, for rides in his car, and to his beautiful home. More importantly, he teaches Zeze about life, poetry, and the value of being "a gentleman of the heart." Their signature greeting—"Hail, King of the Birds!"—symbolizes a private, sacred world of mutual respect and love. For a blissful period, Portuga fills the void left by Zeze’s biological father.
Zezé’s family life is a complex web of poverty-induced stress and occasional flashes of love. my sweet orange tree book characters