Political History
the flag of the U.S. & the flag of Puerto Rico [11]
Political history of a place is an important factor of everyday life. Though not emphasized as much in the book, When I was Puerto Rican: The Film highlights that importance. To fully understand the role political history plays in the movie, you must first understand the political history of Puerto Rico. Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico in 1492. Over the years, attempts to take over the land were made by many countries, but they all were unsuccessful. Finally, Puerto Rico came under the power of the United States of America. In 1917, Puerto Ricans gained U.S. citizenship, and they officially became recognized as a U.S. Commonwealth in 1952. To this very day, Puerto Rico's political status is questioned and debated by many. [12]
Through the beginning years of life, a person learns about their country's political history. For example, in the book, Negi becomes educated about the basics of Puerto Rico's political history in two ways: the newspaper and her father. When Negi is talking to a classmate, arrogant know-it-all Ignacio Sepulveda, she surprises him of her knowledge by telling him who the governor of Puerto Rico is, as well as the President of the United States. She had come to know this information by reading the paper (71). [13] Esmeralda then goes to her father to ask him questions about their country, and he proceeds to give her a lesson in political history (72-3). [14] Kids, much like Esmeralda Santiago and Ignacio Sepulveda, all around the world learn about political history in various ways, namely through their elders. They hear them talking, they read the papers, and they hear political talk shows on the radio or on television. Every child and adult can strongly identify with how Esmeralda learned about her country's political history in When I was Puerto Rican: The Film.