In “Names/Nombres” by Julia Alvarez, the main character struggles with her sense of identity as a Dominican American. This internal conflict stems from cultural expectations as well as her limited exposure to biracial influences outside of her own family, leaving Julia with an unclear mental image, of what it means to be Dominican American, and whether to embrace it or not. In this short story, Julia Alvarez, a young teenage girl, finds her only other Dominican American influence, to be in her household. On page 1, “At the hotel my mother was Missus Alburest, and I was a little girl,” Julias mother is introduced with a changed name, appearing that she has her own identity issues. Julia Alvarez, was exposed to her own mother's insecurity at