Dominicana is what is called a “coming of age” story. This means that a young protagonist encounters a series of obstacles and, in overcoming them, gradually becomes a more mature person. Because Dominicana is also an immigration story, it contains the “fish out of water” motif where a character is dropped into an unfamiliar cultural context and struggles to survive and adapt their identity to this new place.

How is Ana’s journey to become a more mature person shaped by her status as an immigrant?

• What evidence shows Ana’s relative immaturity in the beginning of the novel?
• What experiences specifically related to her immigration to New York present obstacles for Ana to overcome?
• What evidence shows how Ana matures from these experiences?
• How does the maturity Ana gains from the immigration obstacles she’s overcome help her face other problems—such as her marriage—in a more capable, adult manner?

Teaching Suggestion: This question requires students to separate the obstacles that result from Ana’s early marriage, obligations to her family, abusive husband, and so on from the obstacles that result from immigration. After they understand this distinction, the question asks them to show how immigration contributes to Ana’s growth as a person and how this growth better equips her to deal with the other obstacles she faces.