Esmeralda Santiago
Esmeralda Santiago is the protagonist and author of the book. When I Was Puerto Rican starts when Esmeralda is four years old and living in Macún. She’s happy in Macún, where she gets to run wild and explore. She’s curious and asks a lot of questions about the world around her. As the oldest of her seven (eventually eleven) siblings, Esmeralda has to take on more responsibility as she grows up. When Ramona gets a job Esmeralda is stuck taking care of her siblings and cleaning the house, a role she hates. Esmeralda is also rebellious and often gets in trouble for talking back to adults and speaking her mind. She’s imaginative and struggles to connect with her peers, often spending time alone. When Esmeralda moves to New York, she misses Puerto Rico deeply but also is determined to find her way in a new country and culture. Working hard in school, Esmeralda decides that this will be her way out of a life she finds repressive; she auditions and gets into the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. In the epilogue, readers find out she is currently studying at Harvard University.
Ramona
Ramona, Esmeralda’s mother, has a strong and forceful character. Ramona is a strict disciplinarian and has a sharp temper. From San Juan, Ramona struggles to adapt to life in rural Macún and expresses her dissatisfaction with the poverty their family experiences. With Pablo’s disappearances, Ramona is often lonely, isolated, and burdened with the sole caretaking of their seven children. Ramona clearly loves her children, and has softer moments where she is more caring and light-hearted. Ramona wants a better life for herself and children. Fed up with Pablo’s disappearances and infidelity, she tries leaving him many times. However, the struggles of poverty and Ramona’s love for Pablo often bring them back together. Ramona is beautiful and defiant. She is one of the first women in Macún to get a job outside of the house despite heavy criticism from those in the community. She also refuses to accept the local doctor's diagnosis that her youngest son Raymond must lose his foot after an accident and travels all the way to New York to get a second opinion. Eventually, she feels that the only way to have a better life is to leave Pablo and to move to New York, a place where she finds a newfound confidence. Moving the whole family to Brooklyn, Ramona sacrifices and works hard so that her children can have a better life.
Pablo
Pablo, Esmeralda’s father, has an easygoing and romantic nature. He loves poetry and is deeply connected to the land. He proudly identifies as a jíbaro, a rural Puerto Rican, even though those in the city look down on them. It is because of him that the family lives in the rural area of Macún, although Ramona dislikes living there. Growing up, Esmeralda feels an affinity with her father and Pablo often answers Esmeralda’s questions about the world. Pablo works in construction and is often fixing their humble home in Macún. He works hard to provide for the family and chafes at Ramona’s criticism which leaves him feeling like it’s never enough. However, Pablo often disappears from the house for days at a time, leaving Ramona stuck at home caring for their ever-growing family. It is implied that he has affairs with other women. His lying creates deep wounds and pain in the family along with a sense of abandonment. Ramona and Pablo are trapped in a cycle of fighting and making up. Every time Ramona leaves, Pablo always goes to look for Ramona and convinces her to try again. Yet, when they’re together, the fighting causes Pablo to draw into himself, becoming more withdrawn from the family. Eventually it becomes too much and Ramona leaves for New York. Pablo is unwilling to move to the United States. He stays behind in Puerto Rico and gets married. After this, Pablo’s relationship with his children suffers and they become more distant.
Abuela
Pablo’s mother, Esmeralda’s grandmother, is a deeply religious woman. She’s married to Don Higinio and lives in a two story house in San Juan. She prays daily and her house is covered with marks of her Catholic faith: rosaries, images of the Virgin Mary, and Saints. Since Esmeralda does not grow up in a religious household, Abuela teaches Esmeralda about the Catholic faith. She crochets constantly and her house is also covered with crochet pieces. Santiago never shares her true name with the reader, always referring to her as Abuela. Esmeralda feels safe with her Abuela, with whom she’s able to express her emotions and be comforted in a way she cannot with her parents.
Tata
Esmeralda’s maternal grandmother, Tata moves to New York when Esmeralda is young. Tata is tall with short hair and an imposing personality. She periodically sends Esmeralda’s family packages and letters while they’re living in Puerto Rico. She lives with her boyfriend named Don Julio and her brother Chico. After the family moves to New York, Tata helps out with the children but at times can be loud and angry when she drinks. Tata claims to drink to help with her arthritis.
Raymond
The youngest of Pablo and Esmeralda’s children. As a young child, Raymond falls off of his cousin Jenny’s bicycle and severely injures his foot. Ramona takes him to a string of doctors in an attempt to find a cure but they’re unsuccessful and say he might need an amputation. Eventually, Ramona takes him to New York where doctors are able to help his foot heal.
Juanita
Esmeralda’s best friend during childhood. Juanita lives in Macún, and she and Esmeralda explore the neighborhood together. As the girls grow up, they also grow apart.
Angie and Gladys
Esmeralda’s cousins whom she stays with periodically. Gladys is tall, gaunt, and timid while Angie is pretty, lively, and spoiled. They live with their parents who own a successful cafe called Lalo’s Cafetin. Their family is evangelical.
Francisco
A neighbor in Brooklyn who Ramona falls in love with. He has straight black hair, black eyes, and pale skin. Tata disapproves of their relationship because Francisco is younger than Ramona. After Tata attacks him, Ramona moves the family into a new apartment and Francisco lives with them. Ramona becomes pregnant, but soon after Francisco gets sick with cancer. Francisco lives with them long enough to meet his and Ramona’s child but dies soon after.
Mr. Barone
The guidance counselor at Esmeralda’s second school in Brooklyn. He sees Esmeralda’s potential and encourages her to think about her future. When Esmeralda expresses an interest in acting, Mr. Barone sets up an audition for her at the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. He helps Esmeralda prepare for her audition, organizing other teachers to support her as well.
Don Julio
Tata’s boyfriend, who is imposing but also has a gentleness about him.
Chico
Tata’s brother, and Esmeralda’s great-uncle. He is often drunk during the day and spends a lot of time at Esmeralda’s family’s apartment in Brooklyn. He drunkenly makes sexual advances toward Esmeralda making her feel unsafe in her own home.
