Dominicana

César is Ana’s brother-in-law. He is a secondary character who plays an important role in Ana’s character development. César symbolizes the male privilege that Ana doesn’t have access to. He is free to move, work, and socialize however he chooses to. César also symbolizes the man that Ana could have created a more equitable life with. He is affectionate, loving, and analyzes other characters with an empathy that allows him to see their different layers. César is Ana’s one true friend in America. He teaches Ana how to navigate the city, create a business, and believe in herself. Ana’s relationship with César prompts a new relationship with her body and mind. César’s role in the novel is to boost Ana’s self-confidence while also teaching her a valuable lesson about timing. Though they are in love, César is less mature than Juan. César may become a person who could create a good life for Ana, but in these pages, he is as flighty and insecure as the other men Ana has known. César inadvertently teaches Ana the importance of patience and that change doesn’t happen overnight.

Juan Ruiz is Ana’s husband. He is significantly older than Ana and is characterized by his volatile temper. His characterization as an antagonist is complicated by his own burdens. Juan bears the responsibility of two families—the Ruizes and the Cancións. Juan is in love with Caridad, a Puerto Rican woman he can never be with. Like Ana, he sacrifices true love for familial duty. As a Dominican man with flimsy documentation, he is at risk of deportation, racial profiling, and antagonism from society. While Ana is afraid of men, Juan is afraid of the police. One wrong move can cost Juan the life he has worked hard to build in New York. His treatment of Ana is an assertion of damaged masculinity in a society that treats him as badly. Because Juan’s violence is founded in his own insecurities, his role as a villain in Ana’s life is variable. He is sometimes kind, sometimes cruel. He is sometimes supportive, sometimes oppressive. He deals with his immigration experience differently than Ana, which emphasizes their misguided union. 

Mamá is a force of nature in Ana’s memories. She is a formidable character whose tough exterior builds walls between her and her children, though her love for them is never in doubt. Mamá has also internalized gendered norms, which she passes down to her daughter. Mamá’s role in Ana’s life in New York symbolizes the progress of generations. There is no way for Mamá to prepare Ana for American life, so Mamá’s move to New York places Ana into a more powerful role. This role reversal ultimately brings the two women closer together in mutual understanding and reciprocated respect. Mamá is both a support system and a challenge to Ana’s developing womanhood.