Chapter 166 - Maturation

Quinceanera is a poem by Judith Ortiz Cofer, published in 1991. The poem vividly represents the Hispanic tradition of celebrating a teenage girl's coming of age. This transition is a rather troublesome and confusing experience, as the narrator balances between the polar opposite emotions. The author applies several literary elements, which effectively reinforce the poem's message. Through the use of metaphors, hyperboles, and similes, Cofer asserts that maturation is a highly complex and traumatic process.