Alvarez says that her family’s move to the United States and the struggle she had in finding her identity as a Dominican and an American had a deep impact on her. Which passage from "Names/Nombres" shows this struggle in finding her identity as a Dominican and an American?

Question

By the time I was in high school, I was a popular kid, and it showed in my name.
It took a while to get used to my new names. I wondered if I shouldn't correct my teachers and new friends.
My older sister had the hardest time getting an American name for herself because Mauricia did not translate into English.
[A]nd I signed yearbooks with nicknames which recalled our high school good times: "Beans" and "Pepperoni" and "Alcatraz." We hugged and cried and promised to keep in touch.

Answer 1

The passage that most clearly illustrates Alvarez's struggle in finding her identity as both a Dominican and an American is the segment that discusses her older sister's difficulty in finding an American name, as well as Alvarez's own experience with adopting nicknames. This passage reflects the challenges they faced in reconciling their Dominican heritage with their new American environment. The mention of wondering whether to correct teachers and friends about their names shows a tension between embracing their cultural identity and the desire to fit in with their American peers. These elements underscore the dual struggle of maintaining cultural roots while navigating a new identity in a different country.