Bio
Abraham Rodríguez Jr. is a contemporary Puerto Rican writer. He has been active since the 1990s. Raised in the Bronx, he writes stories that depict the experiences of “Nuyoricans.” Rodriguez portrays the struggle of Puerto Ricans, whether on the island of Puerto Rico or in the US.
In the book and short story The Boy Without a Flag (1992), Abraham Rodriguez Jr. captures the hardship of growing up poor in the South Bronx and what it is like to sacrifice one’s childhood to survive and come to terms with the socio-political realities of (Boricua) life at a young age.
“The Boy Without a Flag”
“The Boy Without a Flag” is narrated by an eleven-year-old Puerto Rican boy who is a voracious reader and writes novels and underground comics in his school. Influenced by his father’s political ideas, a poet critical of US imperialism, he refuses to salute the US flag at his school as an act of political awakening and defiance.
Using the short story as a microcosm, Rodriguez shows Puerto Ricans’ political spectrum in NYC and their different stands regarding US colonial rule. Complacency, ignorance, or avoidance are the most common reactions to the debate about Puerto Rico’s political status. The subject is taboo at school, and nobody wants to address the real-life implications of the discussion.
After his father is called to the principal’s office and refuses to support his son’s political views, the narrator must unpack what happened to him and learn from the complexity of his protest and the reactions of the people around him.
Commenting on the story
Instructions:
Comment on these statements reflecting on the story:
.People in power don’t know how to address the concerns of Puerto Ricans. They are only protecting their interests.
.Puerto Ricans are a part of (the city/the school/the US) without a part to play.
.There is a “proper” and “improper” way and time to protest and produce change.
Do you agree with the statements? Why? Why not?
Presentation:
Historical Context
Discussion Questions
.Thinking of the historical and political context presented in the reportage, what are the implications of the political silencing at the narrator’s school?
.How does the story reflect life for Puerto Ricans in the US beyond the specifics of its plot?
.How do you interpret the ending? What political and life lessons does the narrator learn?