Keeper

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of alcohol dependency and death.

El Gato, “The Cat,” is the primary protagonist and central point of view character in the novel. Although the novel is told in a third-person point of view, much of it is told as a flashback recounting Gato’s life, making him the primary narrator. 

Gato is considered the world’s best soccer goalkeeper, as his team just won the World Cup. He is from an unnamed village in an unspecified country in South America. Little is known about his physical characteristics other than his tall stature and big hands. Throughout the interview, he is largely calm and collected, ignoring Faustino’s redirects, disbelief, and pressure so that he can tell the story that he wants to be told.

El Gato is a dedicated, hardworking character who has a strong understanding of his position in life throughout his childhood. When he tries to play soccer as a child, he is awkward and unathletic and is therefore mistreated by his classmates and excluded from the games. As a result, he begins wandering into the forest, where he ends up meeting the Keeper.