One of the first set of words that Elena uses to describe her home is a "Puerto Rican tenement known as El Building." A tenement is defined as an over-crowded, usually run-down and poor building. This means that the immigrants from Puerto Rico who live there are poor or just getting by. On a positive note, Elena says that the building is like a "monstrous jukebox," which means that there is music blaring out of...
One of the first set of words that Elena uses to describe her home is a "Puerto Rican tenement known as El Building." A tenement is defined as an over-crowded, usually run-down and poor building. This means that the immigrants from Puerto Rico who live there are poor or just getting by. On a positive note, Elena says that the building is like a "monstrous jukebox," which means that there is music blaring out of almost every apartment. The music must make them feel connected to family and life back in Puerto Rico. Other sounds that are usually heard in El Building are "the abusive tongues of viragoes, the cursing of the unemployed, and the screeching of small children."
When Elena goes to study at Eugene's house next door, his mother points up at the building and asks her if she lives "there." At this point, she describes El Building as an ugly, gray prison. She also notices the ugliness of the dirty windows and fire escapes. It's not a pretty building, but it is what her parents can afford.
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