Questions About When I Was Puerto Rican

by Esmeralda Santiago (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (2)

Oh my friend, Now she's not Puerto Rican because "the time is over". Does she know what "I was" mean? Very easy dear Watson. Better "when I lived in Puerto Rico" or "When I grew up in Puerto Rico". dear Watson.

Hannah Nolan Santiago named the novel "When I Was Puerto Rican" to depict her identity issues between being from and growing up in Puerto Rico, then having to immi…moreSantiago named the novel "When I Was Puerto Rican" to depict her identity issues between being from and growing up in Puerto Rico, then having to immigrate to the United States and assimilate into American culture. Throughout her assimilation, she feels as if she is losing her Puerto Rican identity and becoming a different person, hence the past tense phrasing. There actually is a video on her Youtube channel of her own explanation of the title, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiQLS...(less)

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What did most mothers do with the information and canned goods given to them from the U.S.? I am still reading the book but this part angered me.

Alda The delivery from the US of food was not culturally competent.

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