“American History” by Judith Ortiz Cofer is a short story set in 1963. At the time, prejudice and segregation between different races were still in progress. full bloom. The protagonist, Elena, is a fourteen-year-old girl of Puerto Rican descent who lives in Paterson, New Jersey with her parents. Elena's neighbor, Eugene, is a boy of European origin whom Elena likes. The story takes place on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. While members of Elena's community are shocked by the death of President Kennedy, Elena faces her own tragedy: being rejected by Eugene's family. Ortiz Cofer's story examines the theme of tragedy, personal and collective, and revolves around Elena's dreams that can be shattered in one shocking instant. When Elena knocked on Eugene's green door, she had high hopes of studying with Eugene and getting to know him better. But when Eugene's mother opened the door, she told Elena to leave and that she was not welcome at Eugene's house. "'What's wrong? Didn't you hear what I said? She seemed very angry and I finally came out of my trance. I...