Identity issues, broken families, generational gap and political conflicts are at the centre of Garcia’s novel Dreaming in Cuban. In this novel, Cristina Garcia explores the consequences of the Cuban Revolution that took place between 1953 and 1959. The aftermath of the revolution is explored through many characters and Pilar Puente is one of these. This passage (GARCIA 25, 26; ‘I’m trying on […] sing quietly in my ear’) is the first time the reader encounters Pilar and already, Pilar’s ambivalence towards her surrounding is set. In fact, her need to escape her lifestyle in the U.S.A. in hope to find a better life in Cuba is emphasized in the passage. By means of contrasted narrative tone and contrasted lexical fields, this passage confronts the reader to the resent Pilar feels towards her life in America and the comfort she hopes to find in Cuba. It sets Pilar as an ambivalent character.

Pilar is an ambivalent character and this ambivalence is reflected with the depiction of her situation. This passage is narrated from her point of view. The narrative tone is critical and ironic and allows the reader to sympathize with her point of view. As soon as she sees her father with another woman, she criticizes their behaviour and attitude: ‘like a 1950s beauty queen gone to seed’; ‘[They are] pretending to window-shop […] [in] outdated stores with merchandise that’s been there since the Bay of Pigs’ (25). Pilar’s critique towards the relationship of her father with the woman highlights the fact that she hates the situation. Furthermore, Pilar is also critical of her current situation in America. Describing the work at the ‘bakery’ as slavery (25). Not only critical, her tone is also ironic. Describing the situation in an ironic tone allows the reader to sympathize with her point of view. “The beauty queen leans into him outside a stereo place that’s blasting, incredibly, “Stop in the Name of Love.” (25) Pilar wants the situation to stop and, ironically, a music named Stop in the Name of Love is ‘blasting’. Also, when talking about the woman, Pilar uses a lot of figurative language. Comparing the woman to a ‘beauty queen gone to seed’, ‘as if she’s been walking in those heels since birth’ (25). The ironic tone used to describe the situation has a humorous effect and helps the reader sympathize with the Pilar’s position. Pilar’s tone reflects her point of view on her situation in America. She is critical and takes distance from the situation, allowing her to be ironic at times.

On the other hand, when talking about Cuba and how she envisions it, Pilar’s tone shifts; thus emphasizing the contrast between her point of view of America and Cuba. She is imagining how her life would be: ‘I imagine Abuela Celia’s surprise’; ‘she’ll smell of salt and violet water’; ‘She’ll stroke my cheek with her cool hands, sing quietly in my ear’ (26). The tone here is calm and peaceful. It highlights the vision Pilar has of Cuba, a tranquil place where her grandmother can comfort her. Her resent towards her American life is conveyed critically and with irony. And when imagining her life in Cuba, the tone shifts to more peaceful one. The contrast between the two narrative tones emphasizes Pilar’s ambivalence.

Furthermore, Pilar’s ambivalence is emphasized again with a contrast in lexical fields. When describing the relationship between her father and the woman, everything they do lead to disgust. The queen is ‘gone to seed’, she has a ‘flicking, disgusting […] flycatcher tongue’ and it makes Pilar ‘sick to her stomach’ (25). The use of this lexical field allows the reader to visualize the resentment Pilar is feeling. The lexical field of disgust also comes to highlight the negativity of the situation. Moreover, Pilar describes her father and the woman with their physical attributes which reinforces the negative point of view of Pilar. This lexical field of appearances can particularly be seen when Pilar is describing the woman: ‘[She] is huge and blond […] has a cloud of bleached hair and high-muscled calves’; ‘They walk down Fulton Street arm in arm, pretending to […]’; ‘my father holds her waxy, bloated face’ (25). But also when describing her father: ‘[He] looks like a kid, laughing and animated’ (25). Pilar does not like what she sees and the combination of the two lexical fields highlights this fact. It is the reason she is ‘fed up with everything around here’ (25) and is a real turning point in her relation with her father as it will be seen later in the novel (138).

By contrast, the lexical fields used when imagining her life in Cuba is not as negative as the latter one. The lexical field of movement, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for freedom, gives a more positive point of view: ‘one-way bus ticket to Miami’; ‘if I can just get there, I’ll be able to make my way to Cuba’; ‘rent a boat or get a fisherman to take me’; ‘as I sneak up […]’ (25-26). Even the act of sitting is not idle: ‘She’ll be sitting in her wicker swing’ (26). Furthermore, the lexical field of the five senses is associated with Cuba: ‘overlooking’; ‘she’ll smell of salt and violet water’; ‘She’ll stroke my cheek with her cool hands, sing quietly in my ear’ (26). The combination of the two lexical fields emphasize the positive point of view Pilar has of Cuba. A place where her sense can be free.

All in all, this passage creates a clear contrast between the different point of view Pilar has of America and Cuba. Each geographical region is associated with different lexical fields and narrative tones. This contrast highlights Pilar as an ambivalent character and, as it will be seen later in the novel, this passage is a clear turning point in her life (138).