As the title suggests, this story by Judith Ortiz Cofer is not just about a teenage Puerto Rican girl who comes-of-age facing prejudice and heartache, but also the struggles throughout history of those who came to America for a better life. The girl and boy to whom she is attracted are both outsiders among their peers… she because of her thin, shapeless body and physical weakness; he because of his honor student status and Southern drawl. At the point of consolidating their friendship, her plans are cruelly thwarted. Themes include isolation, bullying, shame, the migrant experience (the American dream, racism).
Setting the story coincident with the assassination of John F. Kennedy adds an interesting touch. In the same way that President Kennedy’s violent death was said to represent America’s loss of national innocence, Elena’s treatment by Eugene’s mother could be said to represent the loss of hers.