"The fact that I  am writing to you in English already falsifies what I wanted to tell you. My subject: how to explain to you that I don't belong to English though I belong nowhere else, if not here in English."
-Quoted From the web site of Gustavo Perez Firmat. (Cuban American Author)

Where it all began: Cubans began migrating from Cuba as early as the 1840's, 50's and 60's.  In that period they were made up mostly of insurgents, political exiles, writers, scholars, and artists, who could not live in their country which at that time was under Spanish Colonial rule. Their agenda was very nationalistic, with dreams of returning and going back home. Therefore, a major theme in the literature regards the return home and return migration.

The Revolution's effect: In 1959 the Cuban Revolution had two impacts on Cuba and the United States.  First, it ushered in the reign of Fidel Castro and second, it marked the exodus of hundreds of cuban citizens.  Cubans who came into this country especially after 1950 no longer had a home country that they could easily return to.  Because of that the Cuban people and the authors that found themselves living in the United States can be viewed as people who belong the the assimilationist vein and their writing reflects that.  They became part of American culture, business, politics, etc.  In the 1980's a new wave of immigrants that arrived from the Port of Mariel in Cuba to Florida resurged the Cuban population in the United States and from these two groups of dislocated Cuban immigrants comes modern Cuban American Literature.

Modern Literary Trends: Cuban Americans more than other groups, especially among Latino communities, tend to follow the assimilationist movement. Because of this, for example, in literature of the Cuban Americans versus that of Puerto Ricans and Chicanos you often see a greater amount of sophistication and self censorship.  Cubans see the current political situation in Cuba as never ending, because of this they seem to want to settle greater into American life.  Cuban authors have learned a greater sophistication in discussing their descent.  Because of the nature of Cuban writing under the government from which they come there is also a lot of self censorship.  Not saying what they want to say directly but rather through indirect means.

Pervasive Themes: Many novels of Cuban Americans like the critically acclaimed Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia have themes that speak of the divisions between Cubans.  A division that exists because of political status.  With Cuban and Cuban American writers the breakdown of the family is also a common occurrence.  Also because of the political status of many Cubans and Cuban Americans, in many cases as exiles, the theme of a return home is almost nonexistent in the literature

Suggested Readings: