Bad Influence
A Novel By:
Judith Ortiz Cofer
JUDITH ORTIZ COFER
An Island Like You
Rita, the main character and narrator in the story, was sent from her home in New Jersey to spend the summer with her relatives in Puerto Rico. Rita, who is almost fifteen, and her best friend had been caught attempting to sleep overnight with their boyfriends. Although nothing “happened” between the two girls and their boyfriends that night, their parents still believe the boys to be a “bad influence” on them. Ultimately it is the grandfather’s spirituality that gives direction to Rita’s life, first by introducing her to the spirituality of the island. At the end she finally realized her ways and changed them. Her and her mom got back on great terms.
Chapter Summary
When she was a child, Judith Ortiz Cofer's family alternated between living in Puerto Rico and New Jersey, and she felt that she didn't belong, no matter where she lived. When Cofer's family lived in Puerto Rico, she was part of her mother's extended family, even though she was accused of sounding like a "gringa" when she spoke Spanish. There Cofer listened to her grandmother's stories, free in the tropical surroundings of Puerto Rico and at one with the rich gifts of nature. When Cofer's father moved the family to New Jersey, she was made fun of for her Spanish accent. In the cold, northern city where she lived, she became an avid watcher of television. She also read for hours on end and developed a passion for fairy tales.
An Island Like You, Stories of the Barrio, is a collection of twelve stories set in a Latino neighborhood in Patterson, New Jersey. Each story captures the life of a Puerto Rican community, but in the United States. The stories have their own plot, but constantly intertwine with one another. The main theme in the novel is about being an individual and standing up for what you believe in.
An Island Like You.
Bad Influence.
BIOGRAPHY
