Volar
Volar
In Judith Ortiz Cofer’s essay “Volar”, the author describes that both her and her mother dreams of being able to fly. The author portrays the problems faced by many immigrant families, and shows the reason why they want to fly. She also shows her and her mother’s secret desire through their dreams. The author’ obsession with superheroes is her desire to fit in to the culture where she lives. The author shows that she with tight curls and skinny arm and legs is not happy with way she looks.She feels different from people surrounding her. She dreams that as she turns into super girl her” legs would grow long” (para 1, line 7) her “arms harden into steel”(para 1 line 8) and her” hair would magically go straight and turn a golden hair” (para 1 line 8). Escaping into her dreams, the little girl is trying to avoid a reality of not fitting in her new world.She feels “incongruous” waking up in her body. She wants to fly.
The author’s mother is homesick for her country. Her dream is to go back to her country and see her “familia on the Island” (para 2 line 8). She understands that it is financially impossible for her to go back and it hurts her. She looks out from her kitchen window and has a view of the sky. She wishes to fly to her family and says “Ay,si yo pudeiera volar”- all she could do is wish she could fly.
Both of mother and daughter’s dream symbolizes many immigrant families that they are hard to melt in new culture. They all want to fly and to have magic and ability. Their desires shows that they are disappointed in this new society. The only difference between both of their dreams is that the author’s mother’s dream is more realistic than her daughter’s dreams, which is being super girl.
In Judith Ortiz Cofer’s essay “Volar”, the author describes that both her and her mother dreams of being able to fly. The author portrays the problems faced by many immigrant families, and shows the reason why they want to fly. She also shows her and her mother’s secret desire through their dreams. The author’ obsession with superheroes is her desire to fit in to the culture where she lives. The author shows that she with tight curls and skinny arm and legs is not happy with way she looks.She feels different from people surrounding her. She dreams that as she turns into super girl her” legs would grow long” (para 1, line 7) her “arms harden into steel”(para 1 line 8) and her” hair would magically go straight and turn a golden hair” (para 1 line 8). Escaping into her dreams, the little girl is trying to avoid a reality of not fitting in her new world.She feels “incongruous” waking up in her body. She wants to fly.
The author’s mother is homesick for her country. Her dream is to go back to her country and see her “familia on the Island” (para 2 line 8). She understands that it is financially impossible for her to go back and it hurts her. She looks out from her kitchen window and has a view of the sky. She wishes to fly to her family and says “Ay,si yo pudeiera volar”- all she could do is wish she could fly.
Both of mother and daughter’s dream symbolizes many immigrant families that they are hard to melt in new culture. They all want to fly and to have magic and ability. Their desires shows that they are disappointed in this new society. The only difference between both of their dreams is that the author’s mother’s dream is more realistic than her daughter’s dreams, which is being super girl.