Ana Cancion

Ana is the novel’s protagonist and narrator. During the novel’s main narrative in 1965, she is 15 years old. She was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. Juan Ruiz, a man in his thirties, proposed marriage to Ana when she was 15 years old. Ana’s parents forced Ana to accept, as Juan planned on immigrating to the United States, and Ana’s family wanted to immigrate to the United States as well. Ana does not love Juan, but he endures his physical and sexual abuses because she believes it to be part of her duties as a wife. She also knows that her marriage to Juan is a key element of her family’s immigration plan.

Thus, Ana endures her miserable life with Juan. They live in a small apartment in New York City, and Juan’s brother César lives with them too. When Juan...