Judith Ortiz Cofer - “Casa” and “First Love” (An Island Like You)
Judith Ortiz Cofer is the narrator in “Casa” and “First Love.” She is retrospective in both stories as they recount to her childhood.
Mama - “Casa” and “First Love” (An Island Like You)
Mama is Cofer’s maternal grandmother. She is the driving force of the story telling and gatherings at her casa. Comparatively, Cofer spends substantial time at Mama’s in “First Love” particularly when her father is engrossed in Navy duties.
Laura - “Casa” (An Island Like You)
Laura is Cofer’s seventeen-year-old aunt who is mortified when grandmother narrates the tale relating to a man who bolted out on his wedding day.
Maria la Loca - “Casa” (An Island Like You)
Maria la Loca is the preeminent character in Mama’s tale. She is deserted at the altar by her potential husband when she is seventeen.
Aunt Nena - “Casa” (An Island Like You)
She is Cofer’s mother’s first-born sister. She has three biological kids and two stepchildren.
Sarah - “Casa” (An Island Like You)
Sarah is Nena’s daughter, a fact which makes her Cofer’s maternal cousin. She is present during the story-telling sittings at the casa.
Sophia - "First Love" (An Island Like You)
Sophia is a fine-looking Polish immigrant who performs as Lady in the Roman Banquet at Cofer’s school.
Ortiz-Cofer’s ‘Secret love’ - “First Love” (An Island Like You)
He is an Italian-American who appears to be out of Cofer’s reach. He kisses her to placate his egotism.
Elena- "American History" (The Latin Deli)
Elena is the 14-year-old narrator of "American History." A bookish young girl, she is kept behind in school because her first language is Spanish and is mocked for her Puerto Rican heritage. She falls in love with her neighbor Eugene who moves in next door to her in her apartment complex in Paterson, New Jersey.
Eugene- "American History" (The Latin Deli)
Eugene is Elena's new next-door neighbor and classmate, who is bookish like Elena but mocked by his classmates for his Southern accent.
Elena's mother- "American History" (The Latin Deli)
Elena's mother is cautious and warns Elena about forming an attachment to Eugene.
Eugene's mother- "American History" (The Latin Deli)
Eugene's snobbish mother rejects Elena from visiting Eugene due to her Puerto Rican heritage.
Narrator- "Twist and Shout" (The Latin Deli)
The unnamed narrator is a young girl, presumably between thirteen and fifteen, living in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in 1967. She becomes overwhelmed by the sexual advances of her neighbor Manny.
Manny- "Twist and Shout" (The Latin Deli)
Manny is the narrator's 14-year-old neighbor, a great dancer who dances suggestively with her and his own sister to the song "Twist and Shout."
Amy- "Twist and Shout" (The Latin Deli)
Amy is Manny's 15-year-old sister, who dances suggestively with her brother and kisses Cecilia, overwhelming the narrator.
Cecilia- "Twist and Shout" (The Latin Deli)
Amy's best friend, who dances with her neighbors and kisses Amy.
