Question

Which two details from Judith Ortiz Cofer's gravity symbolize the tension between Puerto Rican and American culture?

A. The headband with Navajo designs and Elenita's waist-long hair

B. Elenita's classmate Gerald and her teacher, Sister Mary Joseph

C. The green taffeta dress and tie-dyed T-shirts and bell-bottoms

D. Music by Little Richard and by the Beatles

Apex English 11 Sem 2 Unit 3

Answer 1

C. The green taffeta dress and tie-dyed T-shirts and bell-bottoms

Answer 2

Answer: C. The green taffeta dress and tie-dyed T-shirts and bell-bottoms.

The green taffeta dress and the tie-dye T-shirts and bell bottoms are used in the story "Gravity" by Judith Ortiz Cofer as symbols of the tension between her Puerto Rican and American culture. As a Latin woman growing up in the US, the author often writes about what this clash of cultures represented in her life. The green taffeta dress stands here as a symbol of her Puerto Rican heritage and the role she feels is traditionally assigned to her. The t-shirts and bell bottoms are a symbol of the modern, American culture she also wants to be a part of.