The Myth of the Latin Woman

by

Judith Ortiz Cofer

Themes and Colors
Gender and Stereotypes Theme Icon
Belonging, Assimilation, and Cultural Heritage Theme Icon
Immigration, Education, and Upward Mobility Theme Icon
Culture, Translation, and Universalism Theme Icon
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Myth of the Latin Woman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Immigration, Education, and Upward Mobility Theme Icon

“The Myth of the Latin Woman” emphasizes the central importance of education, particularly in arts and culture, in advancing the status of Latina women in Anglo-American society. Cofer argues that education gives Latina women crucial tools to transform pervasive narratives about themselves and thus opens up new possibilities for upward mobility. Cofer describes some of the particular challenges faced by Latin American immigrants who come to the United States with limited English, little money, and few professional skills. These circumstances trap immigrants, particularly women, in menial and low-paid jobs, such as domestic service, waitressing, and factory labor. Because Cofer’s parents were able to provide her with an education, her resulting professional success protects her from the more severe and restrictive discrimination that many Latina women experience because they have fewer opportunities to advance. These women, in contrast, more directly spend their lives struggling against the “myth of the Latina as whore, domestic, or criminal.” In Cofer’s case, though, she has not only harnessed the power of a good education; she has also used her position as an artist and writer to promote alternative and empowering narratives about Latina women. Through her work, then, she is able to introduce mainstream American audiences to the nuanced “realities” of life as a Latina woman, thus defying the myths and stereotypes that perpetuate the marginalization of Latina women.

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Immigration, Education, and Upward Mobility ThemeTracker

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Immigration, Education, and Upward Mobility Quotes in The Myth of the Latin Woman

Below you will find the important quotes in The Myth of the Latin Woman related to the theme of Immigration, Education, and Upward Mobility.
The Myth of the Latin Woman Quotes

Since I do not wear my diplomas around my neck for all to see, I too have on occasion been sent to that “kitchen,” where some think I obviously belong.

Related Characters: Judith Ortíz Cofer (speaker)
Page Number: 153
Explanation and Analysis:

Every time I give a reading, I hope the stories I tell, the dreams and fears I examine in my work, can achieve some universal truth which will get my audience past the particulars of my skin color, my accent, or my clothes.

Related Characters: Judith Ortíz Cofer (speaker)
Page Number: 154
Explanation and Analysis:

[This poem] is a prayer for communication, and for respect. In it, Latin women pray “in Spanish to an Anglo God / with a Jewish heritage,” and they are “fervently hoping / that if not omnipotent, / at least He be bilingual.”

Related Characters: Judith Ortíz Cofer (speaker)
Page Number: 154
Explanation and Analysis: