In Lone Star, the quote by Otis, “Blood only means what you let it” can hold true for many characters we have read throughout the course. This quote speaks about identity and how we have the choice to create our identity.
In When I Was Puerto Rican, Esmeralda, in the beginning, did not want to be associated with the American culture; instead she held great pride in her “Puertoricanness”. However, as she becomes a part of the American society, she loses this Puertoricanness and adopts an American identity. In Household Saints, Catherine promises to rid the unscientific such as the superstitions embodied in her mother-in-law. Catherine disconnects herself with her Italian identity to move towards an American one because she wanted to raise a child without ignorance and especially without presumed consequences of superstitions. In Joebell and America, Joebell believed “he is seeing too much hell” so he decides America is the right place for him and not Trinidad. He loves and wants what Americans possess: wealth and the freedom to speak their minds. Joebell takes on a false American identity, which at end, reveals that you cannot take what is portrayed in the media accurately. This shows that each character is not chained to their blood but that they are the sole owner for creating their identity.
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