When I Was Puerto Rican Sparknotes

Esmeralda Santiago's work When I Was Puerto Rican is a recent work that has a deep historical interest to Puerto Ricans or anyone that has a dual identity. Esmeralda learns to live in the countryside of the island after a few years living in the metropolitan area and then part for the United States with his mother and siblings. Esmeralda faced many challenges in life, but she learned how to overcome the struggles. The work belongs to the genre of autobiographical novel in which the author recounts her memories with the intention of capturing her experiences full of contrariety, socio-economic and linguistic discrimination. Throughout the narrative we see the resilience capacity with which the author confronts these daily difficulties, essential to her formation as a fighter and fully realized woman. The protagonist objective is to present her feelings and the results of her experiences as a Puerto Rican before immigrating to the United States. In addition to the obstacles and challenges in trying to integrate into a completely different culture, language, values, and idiosyncrasies.
It is presented as a problem caused by both internal and external factors. Esmeralda was the oldest of all her siblings, so she was the one with the most responsibilities. She was also the most ambitious, she was not content with just studying, and she really wanted to learn and was always asking questions to her parents about life, religion, and death. Deeply she loved the place where she lived, so she used to spend most of her time exploring in detail, seeking to make great adventures easier. Most of the chapters focus on her childhood and how slowly she’s leaving her childhood behind. The author tells her life story in two different social environments that have greatly influenced her formation as a