Caribbean Literature
What kinds of insights does Negi gain from
moving?
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Public and private spheres break down when the family
lives behind the bar
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Exposure to evangelical church rather than the Catholic
church
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Negi gets privacy, her own room--but she loses the
comfort of all her siblings
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New technology--electricity and water and TV
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Exposure to the telenovelas and she compares those
romances to her parents
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Always an adjustment to school--chaos and disorder
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Escape to nature no longer viable in city environment
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Papi is smoking and has his own private space
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Faster pace of life
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Exploited
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Authority is no longer trustworthy
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jibara to the urban and wordly to the U.S.
Letters from New York:
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The family now lives in the city, in a house that
has been divided into a bar and an apartment of two rooms for 9 people.
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The title comes from the letter that Tata writes
to Negi. The correspondence foreshadows the move the family, without
Papi, will make from Puerto Rico to New York.
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Raymond's foot continues to erupt in pus and therefore
Mami devotes more time to look after him, to take him to doctors, and make
what money she can at home.
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Introduction of evangelical family, Monin's uncle
and aunt, Don Lalo and Angelina. Negi meets her second cousins, Gladys
and Angie.
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Don Lalo operates a candy store and Cafetin and makes
Negi peel potatoes for the stuffed potato balls.
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After her return from NY, Papi moves the family to
yet another house
Casi Senorita: Almost a woman (the
name of Santiago's subsequent memoir)
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The family now lives on Calle Castro Vina
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First visit to church (evangelical)
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Piano lessons with Don Luis, the school principal
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While Mami is in NY, the children stay with their
aunt, Titi Generosa, who lives next door to Abuela
Dreams of a better life:
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They then all relocate to Sabana Grande and live
next door to wealthy people.
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Mami's trip and Papi's response begin one of many
dramatic and difficult arguments between the couple.
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Mami comes back from the States a changed woman,
much more attractive, lively, confident.
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She wants to get married, officially, instead of
the common law status she "enjoys" with Papi.
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He refuses though, he says, he recognizes all of
his children.
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Introduction of the gardenia as a symbol
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Negi attracts the attention of Johannes Velez--a
boy in her class.
Puerto Rican novel: Happy Days, Uncle Sergio
(Magali Ramis)