65 pages • 2 hours read
Lynn JosephThe Color of My Words
Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Middle Grade | Published in 2000A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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Ana Rosa
A reflective 12 year old at the start of the novel, Ana Rosa is the narrator and protagonist of The Color of My Words. As an aspiring writer, Ana Rosa frequently reflects on how words relate to her life; she watches the people and community around her and talks about them in her poetry and stories. Ana Rosa’s interest in describing the world around her is the cause of many of the tensions in the novel, though these conflicts spur her on, rather than stifling her creativity.
Ana Rosa is very close with her family and spends most of her time interacting with her siblings and parents. When she discovers that her Papi is not her biological father, she quickly recovers and believes more firmly in the strength of her family unit. Of all of her family members, Ana Rosa most admires her older brother, Guario, who supports her and wants to see her become a successful writer.
The novel’s plot revolves around Ana Rosa’s maturation into a young adult with clearer opinions about the world around her. At the start of the novel, she is largely innocent to the way things happen and what peoples’ perceptions are of her. By the end of the novel, Ana Rosa finds her own determination about her path.
Guario
Ana Rosa’s favorite brother, Guario, is a strong, well-spoken man who works as a waiter and has dreams of moving to the United States. Guario’s motivation for his future has a deep impact on Ana Rosa and the way she thinks about her own possibilities. In addition, Guario’s attention towards his younger sister and his care when it comes to looking out for her needs and emotions is an important part of Ana Rosa’s development. Frequently, when Ana Rosa is having a hard time, Guario is there to soothe her, talk to her, or offer her support. In the conclusion of the novel, it is Guario’s death and legacy that inspire Ana Rosa to pursue becoming a writer in earnest.
Mami
Ana Rosa’s mother, only referred to as Mami in the novel, is a loving maternal figure both to Ana Rosa and to the other children in the family. Mami is responsible for the family’s day to day wellbeing and has a cautious approach when it comes to the creativity of young Ana Rosa. Mami’s brief infidelity in the past is what led to Ana Rosa having a different father, and it seems that Mami is willing to be passive and secretive to keep peace in the family. We see this trait again when Mami cooks lunch to keep Ana Rosa from getting yelled at over Guario’s missing notebook. Mami’s protective spirit nurtures Ana Rosa, and Mami seems to undergo a change of heart in order to be more courageous and support Ana Rosa’s writing career.
Papi
A two-sided character, Papi has a complicated relationship with his family and with Ana Rosa in particular. For the most part, Papi is loving, supportive, and the life of the party. He’s an excellent dancer, loves to drink and talk, and appreciates the unique traits of each of his children. This fun-loving nature also sometimes leads Papi to drink too much or to be absent from his family. Overall, though, Ana Rosa loves Papi and embraces him as her father, despite learning that he is not biologically her parent.
