Identity

Identity is an important theme in the novel “Call Me Maria” by Judith Ortiz Cofer. A person’s identity, which includes their purpose and how they come to view and understand themselves, is essential to the plot of the novel. In the novel, it is Maria who seeks out her own identity.

When the novel begins, Maria feels lost, lonely, and listless. A recent immigrant from Puerto Rico, she feels strange and out of place in New York. While she knows she lives in America now, she feels a strong pull towards Puerto Rico. Although she can speak Spanish and English, Maria has a difficult time mastering the language of the Barrio, Spanglish. Along with having little time for friends or recreation, and knowing that half her family still lives in Puerto Rico, Maria doesn’t know who she is. She longs to be something beautiful...