Judith Cofer Ortiz's Abuela Invents The Zero

In Judith Cofer Ortiz’s short story “Abuela Invents the Zero”, through making her Abuela feel worthless, Constancia learns that internal respect comes from how other people value their contribution instead of external judgment. After the conflict, Abuela indirectly tells Constancia that “the worst [thing to be done to a person] is to make them feel as if they are worth nothing” (Ortiz 2). Through this proverb, Abuela proved that her worth did not rely on Constancia's acceptance, but on how much Constancia valued her. Therefore, Constancia realizes that Abuela, a single mother with ten children, gains respect simply because people appreciate her accomplishments. Furthermore, after realizing her mistake, Constancia “can feel [herself] shrinking