The character of Pilar Puente, in Cristina Garcia’s novel Dreaming in Cuban, grows up as a teenager in a family torn apart physically, geographically and ideologically. As a member of the del Pino family living in the United States of America, Pilar is more and more influenced by the underground culture of the New York scene of the 1970s. In a passage on page 135 – from “I just love the way…” to “…with my mother” – the written transcription of Pilar’s spontaneous oral expression, the recurrence of the notion of violence, and allusions to notable figures of the punk movement reflect Pilar’s artistic, subversive and multiple identity, thus emphasizing that it is through this rebellious attitude that she is crafting her own identity.

The oral devices used by Pilar mirror the spontaneity of her flow of speech as well as her attitude as a teenager. She begins by explaining that “[she] just [loves] the way Lou Reed’s concerts feel” (135), Lou Reed being an American musician and an important figure of the underground music scene of the 1960s and 1970s in New York. The use of verbs of emotion such as “love” and “feel” reflects Pilar’s sensitive personality and how she perceives punk music. For her, music is apprehended through the medium of emotion. With the first-person narration and the internal focalization on Pilar’s thoughts, channeled by her stream of consciousness, we have direct access to the teenager’s point of view. Words such as “just” (135) and “it’s like” (135) are devices used in oral speech and they emphasize that it is indeed Pilar who talks and shares her thoughts. They also reflect Pilar’s use of language as a teenager. She uses short and direct phrases to express herself, such as “Not me” (135) and “If I don’t like someone, I show it.” (135). The lack of a complete sentence and the use of contractions reinforce this transcription of oral expression. The presence of direct discourse in sentences quoted by Pilar, such as “Hey, we’re here too and what we think matters!” (135), again strengthens this presence of orality. Thus, the way this passage is written is a direct transcription of Pilar’s thoughts and emotions.

The subversive directness of Pilar’s oral expression is emphasized by the recurrent presence of the notion of violence. Words such as “energy”, “violence”, “assault”, “confront”, “fuck you”, “rude” and the alliteration “grinding guitars” (135) reflect both the energy created by figures of the punk movement mentioned by Pilar, such as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the Ramones, and Pilar’s attitude as an artist. She uses a metaphor of a physical attack to describe their presence as “an artistic form of assault” (135). Here, the notions of violence and art are closely connected. Pilar’s artistic identity is clearly influenced by the subversive behavior of those singers. She explains that “[she tries] to translate what [she hears] into colors and volumes and lines that confront people” (135). By acknowledging the influence of punk music on her art, Pilar presents herself as belonging to this community of anticonformists. The fact that Pilar does not conform herself to the established values of society is reflected in the people Lou Reed sings about: “drug addicts, transvestites, the down-and-out” (135). Pilar identifies herself with Lou Reed because he sings about a kind of people who challenge the morality and values of the American society. Thus, the presence of violence and subversion in this passage mirrors the anticonformist attitude of punk singers and their influence on Pilar’s identity.

Pilar also characterizes her identity as being multiple by associating herself with Lou Reed and his “twenty-five personalities” (135). While speaking about the artist’s “alter egos” (135), Pilar explains that “[she feels] like a new [Pilar] sprouts and dies every day” (135). By using a metaphor of rebirth, the teenager acknowledges that she posseses more than one self. Furthermore, by making a parallel between her manifold identity and Lou Reed’s, she demonstrates that they belong to the same anticonformist community. In a passage preceding the one I am concerned with, Pilar explains that “Lou Reed says he has enough attitude to kill every person in New Jersey” (134). There is again a recurrence of the notion of violence with the words “hostile” and “kill”. This violent attitude is reflected through Pilar’s behavior as a teenager and through her work as an artist. By having “enough attitude” (134) to be “rude” (135), she differenciates herself from her boyfriend, whom she describes as being a “traditionalist” (135), thus someone who conforms to the established values of society. Indeed, Pilar chooses to present herself as being someone with an artistically violent, rebellious, and multiple identity.

The notion of belonging to a community is a recurrent theme in Cristina Garcia’s Dreaming in Cuban. Whether it is by being devoted to the Cuban Revolution (Celia), by organizing a party to celebrate the Fourth of July in the United States of America (Lourdes), or by associating herself with the punk movement (Pilar), the actions of the members of the del Pino family are determined by this search of belonging. While clearly identifying herself with a part of American underground culture, and thus detaching herself from her Cuban origins, Pilar also refuses to accept the American patriotism of her mother. Her identity as a teenager and artist is thus defined as subversive. It is through her direct oral expression as well as the recurrence of words related to violence that Pilar’s identity is created. The allusions to notable figures of the punk movement of the New York scene in the 1970s serve as a reflection on the search of identity of young people during that time. As well as giving a sense of belonging to teenagers, this underground scene also enabled them to stand against the values of the older generations and create their own. Therefore, although focusing mainly on Cuba, Cristina Garcia’s novel also deals with the American perspective of the life in the 1970s and how living in an American society has an impact on Pilar’s construction of her identity.