Thursday, December 19, 2019
Tensions Between Mexican And American Cultures - 1156 Words
August Van Patten Dr. Berglund ENG 245 10 January 2017 ââ¬Å"Americanâ⬠¦But Hyphenatedâ⬠: Tensions Between Mexican and American Cultures In Pat Moraââ¬â¢s two poems, ââ¬Å"Legal Alienâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Immigrantsâ⬠, she is expressing the crisis of identity from which Mexican Americans suffer. On one hand, Americans view her (and Mexican Americans in general) as ââ¬Å"perhaps exotic, / perhaps inferior, and definitely differentâ⬠(9-10) while on the other Mexicans view Mexican-Americans as ââ¬Å"alienâ⬠(11). Caught in between two cultures, and not being fully accepted by both, is the source of tensions in the authorââ¬â¢s poetry. Both cultures with which they identify ultimately reject the persons in the poems which causes distress and conflict. The tension seen in the writerââ¬â¢s workâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬Å"Alienâ⬠is used later in the poem to also describe how Mexicans view Mexican Americansââ¬âwhich is not how many in the U.S. would perceive their relationship (11). The use of the prefix ââ¬Å"biâ⬠is another way in which the poet signifies the distinct Mexic an American culture. Opening the poem with the powerful phrase, ââ¬Å"Bi-lingual, Bi-culturalâ⬠(1) emphasizes the adaptation of both Mexican and American cultural norms in multiple aspects. The people in the poem speak the languages of both countries as well as adopt and combine customs. Therefore, Mexican Americans express sentiments of both cultures, yet are still viewed as foreign by each culture respectively. This creates an odd situation where Mexican Americans are divided culturally yet still exemplifying aspects of both cultures and creating their own cultural practices. While the poem ââ¬Å"Legal Alienâ⬠focuses on the struggles of being a Mexican American who is accepted by neither society, ââ¬Å"Immigrantsâ⬠is about how they try to help their children fit into society and make the process of assimilating easier for them. A feeling of desperation is portrayed in the opening line which states, ââ¬Å"wrap their babies in the American flagâ⬠(1). The parents who feel judged by American society want so desperately for their children to be accepted as true American citizens that theyShow MoreRelatedThe Legacy Of The Golden State1633 Words à |à 7 Pageswith danger and controversy in their way. In the process of building a defining image for California, these boosters embraced but erased the people and cultures that existed in California before the arrival of the Anglos. They essentially took away what these cultures had built upon in California and took them as their own while keeping these cultures out of the picture. This racial e xclusion persisted throughout 20th century California. One city where this exclusion was persistent was Los Angeles whichRead MoreEssay on Political Culture of Mexico1154 Words à |à 5 PagesMexican Political Culture As once put by Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz, Mexico is a land of ââ¬Å"super-imposed pastsâ⬠(McCormick, p.326). It continues to be and is seen as a melding pot of its European and Native American ideas about society, law and government. Its history has had a major influence on the political culture of Mexico, seen through years of revolution, violence and corruption. Mexico is a considered a new democracy, but there is a tension still seen between democracy and authoritarianismRead MoreDiscrimination Effects from the 1930s1530 Words à |à 7 Pagesviolent extremes. Between racism, sexism, and social prejudice, discrimination levels were about the highest America has ever seen. This was a difficult time for African Americans in the U.S, and despite the decline of organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan, racism was as strong as ever, especially in the southern states. During the Great Depression, colossal unemployment and relocation forced a re-evaluation of sexism in empl oyment. With millions of people in unemployment, the gap between the rich andRead MoreThe Colonization Of New Mexico830 Words à |à 4 PagesColonization occurs when more species populate an area. After the Mexican American war the Mexican border went up in San Ysidro California creating disagreement between territories. Conquest produced local, regional, and national patterns of change and development. The conquest of New Mexico and the Unites Sates Southwest now had distinguishable contradictions and tensions. In 1519 Spanish arrived in Mexico and further fought in the Spanish American war in 1898. Latinos were racially considered contaminatedRead MoreRace And Racial Profiling And Gender Issues On The Basis Of My Upbringing, Experience, And Social Media1206 Words à |à 5 Pagessocial media. Upbringing Growing up I had little conversations with either of my parents about race or what my role was as a Latina female even so not talking about puberty or menstrual cycles. Remarks were made distinguishing between Latinos, Asians, African Americans, and Caucasians but rarely hearing about other race. Comments about race were based on physical, interaction experiences, and what he or she said in addition, I feel social media influenced what statements my parents said about otherRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s The Argument Against The War1182 Words à |à 5 Pagesagainst the war? When Lincoln was a Congressman in the House of Representatives, during his short term, he loudly opposed the Mexican war held in 1846. His main argument was that the war was unconstitutional and unnecessary and was based on a lie. He faced severe criticism from fellow Whigs including other congressmen for raising voice against the USA intervention in the Mexican territory and promotion of slavery there. This was against the popular President James Polkââ¬â¢s moves to acquire lands underRead MoreEssay about segregation1571 Words à |à 7 Pageswhich led to cultural and social tensions. It also determined inclusion, exclusion, and segregation in U.S society. Both inclusion and exclusion tie together to create the overall process of segregation ââ¬â one notion cannot occur without resulting in the others. Segregation is a form of separation in terms of race that includes the processes of inclusion and exclusion. Race was the main factor that caused conflicts among people in soc iety in the realms of culture, education, and residential. HistoriansRead MoreMexican Americans During The World War II1528 Words à |à 7 PagesScores of Latino men went off to war by the hundreds of thousands fighting in every major battle in both the European and Pacific theatres. More Mexican Americans serving in combat divisions than any other ethnic group and a high percentage volunteered for the more hazardous duties such as the paratroopers and Marines (Meier Ribera). Mexican Americans that served gained a recognition that was not possible in civilian life, and through the military, promotion was based off of individual merit. ThisRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Ballad Of Gregorio Cortez 1490 Words à |à 6 Pagesborderlines between countries, but to understand borders one must look pass the physical boundaries. As a society we must be and make ourselves more aware of the cultural identity, language, and community surrounding the Latino American population. During the Mexican-American War the border moved, but the people didnââ¬â¢t. History has shown us that no matter how thick the border might be Latino Americans have a strong connection to their culture and roots; instead of assimilating, Mexicans live between twoRead MoreThe Hispanic-American Experience1695 Words à |à 7 Pagesï » ¿The American Dream for everyone alike is to prosper and succeed in a land that individuals are determined to call their own. Almost every immigrant that has entered the United States has done so in hopes of finding a better life for themselves and for their families. For most Hispanic-Americans, the goal was the same. Hispanic-Americans come from a variety of different Spanish-speaking countries. Just as the wave of immigrants from Europe came to the United States of America in the late 1800s and
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.