“Quinceañera ” by Judith Ortiz Cofer

1. “Quinceañera” by Judith Ortiz Cofer Perla Castro

2. Title • The title makes me thing of something very happy and a celebration. I had my “Quinceañera” and it was the best day of my life. It suggest the growing up of a girl into a women.

3. Paraphrases • The poem is about a young life have her Quinces and describing the change as something bad. She does not like all her innocence and childhood memories disappearing.

4. Connotation • The poem displays the change from being a young girl to a women. • First Person Point of View • The diction used is simple, descriptive and figurative. • “Is not the blood of saints andmen in battle beautiful?” • “Do Christ’s hands not bleed into your eyes from His cross?” • Imagery is used to describe the moment she is going through • Imagery is used to portray the moment the girl is going through. • “satin slip” • “My hair has been nailed back with my mother’s black hairpins to my skull” • Symbolism is illustrated with the dolls. It represents innocence and her childhood.

5. Attitude • The attitude of the narrator is in disgust and surprised with all the changes that are happening. The speaker feels as if no one is helping her anyone and she is on her own.

6. Shifts • The shift happens in the 11th line the speaker changes from describing what is happening to analyzing and given explanation to what is actually happening to her life. • “I am wound like the guts of a clock,waiting for each hour to release me.”

7. Title • The title is the name for what the speaker is describing. The poem is ironic because this day is usually very happy and festive but in her eyes it is something to dread and hate.

8. Theme • The theme in this poem is the Hispanic tradition of a party to celebrate daughters transitioning from a little girl to a women. The speaker in the poem hates the fact that she is growing up. Not everyone see’s things the same way.