文档介绍：Talking Points When I Was Puerto Rican
Oldest Sibling
As the oldest sibling, Esmeralda, or Negi, feels that she’s neglected more and more by
her parents as their family grows bigger and bigger. This is a theme that is seen
numerous times throughout the story, from when she first “lost her lap” until the
youngest son was born. Having 7 siblings is not easy. For Negi, it brought her
responsibility although in her eyes she was still a child.
Women in the Workforce
During these times in Puerto Rico, and probably still today, it was highly looked down on
to be a woman in the workforce. This role that women have to fulfill as housewives and
caretakers was strongly encouraged, so Negi’s mom was judged upon her decision to
work in a factory and bring an e to the home. Negi obviously didn’t like that her
mother worked, for she was accustomed to and wanted her to remain home. Its as if
she felt that her mother’s role was just to be a mother, but its hard to tell whether as she
wrote the book she had a feeling of resentment or pride.
Casi Senorita
Another theme that was strongly embraced was that of puberty. From when Negi first
saw a boy’s privates, until even when she was falling in love with a random kid, Negi
didn’t seem to want to e senorita. It was eit