“Ay, si yo pudiera volar” (Cofer 198). Or, “If only I could fly” is a quote that embodies the feelings of Spanish-speaking immigrants in America. The short story “Volar” written by Judith Ortiz Cofer, is about the hardships a family of immigrants and what they must endure while living in the United States. The American job market is competitive. For immigrants, it's virtually impossible to succeed in America; therefore, the girl in “Volar” will not become successful because of the story's setting.
First, to begin with, the setting in “Volar” is in a confined apartment in a barrio, or a Spanish-speaking neighborhood. The narrative centers on the daughter who remains unnamed. The girl lives in the barrio and dreams of altering her physical appearance. In her dreams, she is ascending on the rooftop of her apartment building. Each step she takes she feels herself transforming into Supergirl. “My legs would grow long, my arms harden into steel, and my hair would magically go straight and turn a golden color” (Cofer 197). When she awakes from her dream, she's dissatisfied with her Hispanic …show more content…
Nevertheless, the girl’s inability to access proper education due to her father’s low paying job makes it difficult for the girl to succeed. Overall the girl will have to manage with what her family can support. The girl’s mother isn’t satisfied with living in America either and often expresses her urge to take a vacation back to Puerto Rico to see her family. While her husband shares the same wishes, he knows he cannot afford to take time off from work. “Mi amor, do you know how much it would cost for all of us to fly there?” (Cofer 197). Having the story set in America creates obstacles for the girl and her family like not qualifying for high paying jobs and not having the same access to a good education as Americans do. These obstacles restrict the family from getting equal