Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story “Catch the Moon” is a coming-of-age tale about a young girl named Silvia who must grapple with her identity as a Puerto Rican American. The story follows Silvia as she navigates her way through adolescence, first in Puerto Rico and then in the United States.
The theme of “Catch the Moon” is identity. Silvia is constantly searching for a way to define herself, both in terms of her nationality and her place in the world. She feels like she doesn’t quite fit in anywhere, and this feeling leads to a great deal of confusion and frustration. However, Silvia ultimately comes to accept herself for who she is and finds a place in the world where she feels comfortable.
The author Vicki Harrison once wrote, “Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” In Catch the Moon, by Judith Ortiz Cofer, Luis learns how to “swim” with love’s help. While grief possesses negative impacts accordingto Cofer’s storytelling, love has immeasurable strength that vanquishes any barrier casted by grief.
Judith Ortiz Cofer was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She is a professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Georgia. Many of her works are semi-autobiographical pieces that explore the themes of identity, family, and cultural displacement. In Catch the Moon, Cofer tells the story of Luis, a young boy who is struggling to cope with the death of his father.
Luis’s father died in a construction accident when he was just six years old. As a result, Luis has to deal with not only his own grief, but also the grief of his mother. His mother becomes withdrawn and distant after his father’s death, leaving Luis feeling confused and alone. Luis finds solace in music, and he eventually becomes a talented musician himself.
A young woman appears in the opening of Andrew’s story. He is a little older but remains friends with him on Facebook. When the girl approaches, Luis is working at the junkyard. He stares off to the side and begins to zone out. Luis says of her, “She stood in the sunshine in her white dress waiting for his father,” while Luis stared away. Her skin was mahogany, almost black, and her limbs were long and thin, yet curved in certain areas so that she didn’t appear bony or hard; rather, she appeared more like a ballerina than before.
Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story, “Catch the Moon,” is about a young boy named Luis who falls in love with a girl from his neighborhood. The story takes place in Luis’ neighborhood in Puerto Rico. Judith Ortiz Cofer was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New Jersey, so she writes about her experiences growing up as a Puerto Rican-American. The theme of the story is young love. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses descriptive language to show how Luis feels about the girl. Judith Ortiz Cofer also uses symbolism to represent young love.
The moon is a symbol of young love because it is something that is beautiful and unattainable. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses the moon to represent the girl that Luis loves. The girl is beautiful and unattainable because she is from a different social class than Luis. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses the moon to represent the difference in social class between Luis and the girl.
Judith Ortiz Cofer also uses the color white to symbolize purity. The color white is often used to symbolize purity, innocence, and virginity. The color white is used to symbolize the girl’s purity. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses the color white to show that the girl is innocent and pure. The theme of young love is shown through the use of descriptive language, symbolism, and the use of the color white.
When conversing about the lady, Cofer uses considerably more precise words with a far more positive meaning than Luis does. This contrasts with Luis’ gloomy demeanor as a result of his mother’s death.
Judith Ortiz Cofer’s Catch the Moon is a story about grief, hope, and redemption. Luis, the protagonist, is grieving the loss of his mother and struggling to find hope again. The girl he meets, who is also struggling with grief, helps him to find redemption and hope once again. Judith Ortiz Cofer’s use of language creates a contrast between the two characters which highlights the theme of grief, hope, and redemption.
Another frequent technique that Breslin uses is to use longer sentences to make Luis appear as though he’s dreaming about this woman. This suggests how quickly Luis develops a strong bond with her, even if they haven’t met. Even after they didn’t meet, Luis followed his heart and went to the girl’s house. After briefly communicating through sign language, Luis goes back to the trash dump and searches for the item she wanted.
When he returns to her house with the part, the girl’s father answers the door and tells Luis that she has moved away. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses this story to demonstrate how people can be brought together by love, even if they don’t share a common language. Judith Ortiz Cofer was born in 1952 in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. She moved to Paterson, New Jersey when she was ten years old and began writing poetry at a young age.
Judith Ortiz Cofer is known for her use of magical realism, which is often seen in Latin American literature. Magical realism is a genre that combines elements of the fantastic or supernatural with everyday life. This story falls under the category of magical realism because of the way that Judith Ortiz Cofer uses Luis’s dreams to foreshadow the events of the story.
The reader can easily imagine Noami. (Pg. 64) “Eat the yellow rice and red beans, the fried chicken, mouth-watering sweet plantains that his mother had prepared for them,” says the text correctly. The description gives an example of the color, flavor, and scent of the meal. The author uses images to engage a reader’s sense of taste in the tale.
Judith Ortiz Cofer writes, “Gloria had on a white blouse with lace collar and cuffs.” The author uses visual imagery to describe Gloria’s outfit. This allows the reader to see what Gloria is wearing. Judith Ortiz Cofer uses many different types of imagery throughout Catch the Moon.
The theme of Catch the Moon is family. Judith Ortiz Cofer writes about a family that is close and supportive of one another. Naomi’s father is always there for her, even though he is not her biological father. He is always providing for his family and making sure they are happy. Judith Ortiz Cofer also writes about how important it is to have food and culture be a part of your life.
