Topic > Judith Ortiz Cofer's description of a young girl's challenges as illustrated in her book, Volar

The narrator of the story "Volar" is a young girl who is facing various challenges associated with growing up. Some young children may struggle with the reality that they don't have as much power in the world when they are little. They are physically smaller than adults and rely on their parents for things like food and shelter. In the story, the girl deals with such feelings by imagining herself as an adult superhero. He describes climbing to a high part of their apartment and describes how his body also grows as he climbs. The following quote describes how he feels as he climbs: “Step by step I would fill: my legs would lengthen, my arms would harden to steel” (Kraver). Imagine turning into an adult with superpowers. His ascension onto a high balcony can also be seen as a metaphor. People describe a desire to overcome whatever problem they face. The girl climbing the stairs is a metaphor for how she tries to overcome the problems she is facing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The girl describes life in a small apartment, which indicates that her family probably lives in poverty. She explains, “In the morning I would wake up in my tiny bedroom with the incongruous, at least in our tiny apartment, white “princess” furniture” (Kraver). As a result, the reader can infer that the girl's family is struggling with financial problems. Their financial problems are also evident from the fact that the girl later mentions the landlord and explains how her parents reacted towards her. She states: “Once I saw our master of the house, whom I knew my parents feared, sitting in a treasure room dressed in an ermine cloak and a large gold crown. He sat on the floor counting his dollar bills” (Kraver). His portrayal of the landlord indicates that the family is likely struggling with their finances. His desire to play a prank on the landlord in the story is an indication that he wants to help his parents with the problems they are facing. Many immigrant families have difficulty finding well-paying jobs. It is possible that the girl's parents have low-wage jobs and have to work exceptionally hard to pay the bills. The struggle that immigrants face is another topic of the story. The girl describes the vision of their Spanish-speaking neighborhood. He also talks about his parents "talking in hushed tones over a café con leche." (Kraver). The reader can deduce that the girl comes from a Hispanic family. People who belong to minority races often face unique struggles and challenges. The girl points out how her hair becomes straight and golden when she transforms into the superhero of her dreams. A blonde-haired girl who resembles a Barbie doll is a stereotypical icon of beauty. It is possible that some young immigrant girls struggle to find themselves beautiful when compared to American beauty standards. The girl also mentions how she spends her time spying on the boys she has crushes on, which indicates that she is also using her superhero image to cope with her growing desire for boys..