When I was a Puerto Rican vy Esmeralda Santiago

When I was a Puerto Rican

Esmeralda Santiago

The novel When I was a Puerto Rican is written by Esmeralda Santiago and it is set in the village Macun, Puerto Rica in 1950’s. It is a memoir of  Esmeralda Santiago’s transition from childhood to adulthood .The story begins at the age of four and ends with the protagonist’s graduation from Performing Arts  at Harvard University .Negi (Esmeralada Santiago) always wants to be a Jibara, a Puerto Rican country dweller with distinctive dialect. Her Mami (Real name is Ramona) snubs her saying she cannot be a Jibara as she was born in the city, where Jibaras are mocked for their peculiar dialect. Negi  learns that her  real name is Esmeralada Santiago and Negi is her nickname. As per Puerto Rica tradition people usually have a nick name and another official name. Negi  has three siblings Delsa, Norma and Hector. Mami accuses Pablito, father of Negi , of spending his hard-earned money on other women for sexual pleasures. It is seen as a common thing in Puerto Rican society that men indulge in adultery and have many sexual relationships behind the back of their wives. Ramona raises her voice as she can’t tolerate her husband’s infidelity but Papi is an easy going and a calm man. Negi’s parents relationship is an on again, off again relationship. They fight and reconcile. They remain unmarried throughout their relationship, though Mami presses for marriage. Negi wonders why her Papi disappears for many days after verbal fight with Mami and suddenly comes back to reunite with Mami. On learning that his Papi has another daughter named Margie with another woman. Negi envisions her playful life, if Margie lives with her family. She learns that men are Sinverguenzas which means shameless and indulge in adultery, that is not a surprise to wives but that brings so much suffering to them. Family care and responsibility of raising the children lies on women in the Puerto Rican society. Men give financial support to the family.

Whenever Ramona feds up with Papi she moves her family to Santruce  and comes back to Macun after settling issues . Negi classmates in new school in Santaruce make fun of her dialect, calls her a jibara. In Santruce Negi becomes Jibara what she is not in Macun.  Family returns to Macun with Papi. Negi discusses  American politics, Imperialism and Puerto Rican history with her papi.  Tata, Negi’s maternal grandmother, who lives in New York sends them gifts and clothes which her cousins no longer wear and are almost new.

Negi  speaks boldly against America’s imperialism at school and firmly denies to take disgusting Gringo, American food, usually supplied during election year. On the  pretext of taking Negi to her parental grandmother house, he goes to another woman , leaving her there for some days . Negi doubts Papi’s love on her mother and family, as he visits other women frequently behind Mami’s back.

Negi thinks that remaining Jamona, an unmarried woman, is better than marrying a  man and suffer[u1]   with his disloyalty Negi starts to hate her papi [u2] and wish he would die as she emotionally hurts  and backstabs her Mami.Mami gets a job in a new factory in ToaBaja. women working outside of the family  is a taboo at that time  in the society. Neighbors talk ill about her job. Mami leaves the supervision of six children to Gloria, a neighbour. Being the eldest of siblings Negi has become in-charge of the family in her mother’s absence. Negi’s awareness on sexuality [u3] is evident when she refuses to show her genitals to Tato, a neighbor boy. She is enlightened by Gloria on menstruation cycle and  about child birth.  Raymond’s  foot is trapped and mangled in the bicycle wheel with fault of Jenny.. Negi feels that she failed [u4] in her responsibility in protecting her brother, nevertheless, no one says so. Family moves again to Santurce town at Dona Andrea’s house. Negi feels uncomfortable in urban atmosphere. On hearing Mami is leaving for New York for Raymond’s foot treatment. It makes Negi discontent that  Mami’ has not discussed her plan. Negi knows protecting herself, she defies Piano teacher and school principal for sexually gazing her naked chest over her shoulders on the pretext of teaching music. She is fully aware of her sexuality and wolves [u5] around her.

Negi dissatisfies with her mother’s decision of going to New York and also doesn’t want to share Mami’s love with her siblings. Though she is the oldest , her love share is smaller compared to other siblings. Mami seems more confident and determined after her return from NewYork city.

Love-hate relationship of her parents continue. In presence of  Negi they injure without touching each other, hurling words that have the same effect as acid on metal. Negi’s heart pains a lot as Papi himself drives them to airport to bid farewell. Negi joins a new school in Brooklyn and frankly rejects  the principal idea of admitting her into a grade less than the present grade. It is her first rebellion act outside of the family. Principal agrees to admit her in the present grade with an agreement that she should do well in the exams. Negi encounters her first sexual experience in New York. She seduces a truck driver hurling Marlin Manroe wide seductive smile from her opened window in the apartment, however fear and curiosity grips . Truck driver, who sat in the truck, opposite to the window, masturbates looking at Negi. Mami falls in love with Francisco, a man much younger than her. She doesn’t mind the parents and neighbors talking ill of her relationship. Francisco dies of cancer after Mami giving birth to his child, Franky. Negi writes a letter to Papi, accusing of betraying her family and questions his love  as he marries another woman shortly after Mami leaves for New York. Mami plays both mother and father roles in Brooklyn. Chico, brother of Tata sexually harasses Negi to open her blouse while she is going to school. She warns him and  escapes. The next day Chico pinches Negi’s left nipple and mumbles not to tell anyone. Negi helps Mami at welfare office  with excellent spoken and translation  skills in English. She has got selected for Performing Arts course at Harvard University. The story ends with  visit [u6] to school after finishing her graduation.

Major themes in the novel are coming of age, family, poverty, gender inequality, patriarchy, sexuality, double identity, immigration and [u8] cultural conflict.