I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Individualism Essay

They are expected to be the perfect housewife. Alvarez’s novel also examines the impacts of cultural differences throughout the process of assimilating, “The divided narrative highlights the conflict between two competing visions of ideal womanhood from which these daughters must choose—either the restrained domestic mistress of the Island or the politicized, independent woman of the United States” (Cox 144). This emphasizes the pressures people have to face when trying to conform to society’s standards. After Yo interacts with her significant other’s parents, she realizes how people treat people like herself, “His parents did most of the chatting, talking too slowly to me as if I wouldn’t understand native speakers; they complimented me on my ‘accentless’ English and observed that my parents must be so proud of me” (Alvarez 100).

First of all, the setting of this novel contributes to the Rivera family’s overall perception of what it means to be an American. To start this off, the author chooses a small American city where groups of Latino immigrants with their own language and traditions, lived together in the same apartment building. All these immigrants experienced similar problems since they moved from their countries. For example, in the novel after every other chapter the author

Sara not only secured financial autonomy, but she gained agency in her identity where she could become her own woman as she yearned for when she wanted to be like her classmates in school. Sara's story serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of immigrant women and the realization of the American Dream on their terms. Throughout the novel of Sara and her family trying to adjust to the new world and the sisters immersing themselves in American women's lifestyles, Sara's commitment to breaking free of the cultural constraints imposed by her father leads her to an autonomous

The role of strong female roles in literature is both frightening to some and enlightening to others. Although times have changed, Sandra Cisneros’ stories about Mexican-American women provide a cultural division within itself that reflects in a recent time. The cultural themes in Cisneros’s stories highlight the struggle of women who identify with Mexican-American heritage and the struggle in terms of living up to Mexican culture – as a separate ethnic body. The women in Sandra Cisneros’ stories are struggling with living up to identities assigned to them, while trying to create their own as women without an ethnic landscape. In Sandra Cisneros’ stories “Woman Hollering Creek: and “Never Marry a Mexican” the role of female identities that

The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria is an essay by Judith Ortiz Cofer. In this essay she writes about her experiences to demonstrate the stereotypes of Latin woman and the struggles they face in America. In Puerto Rican culture it is normal for a girl’s mother to encourage her to look and act like a woman and dress in clothes too “mature” for her age. This is a conflicting message for these young women because they are also kept under scrupulous surveillance, since virtue and modesty are equivalent to their family’s honor. Two Ways to Belong in America tells about how there are two ways to belong in America; legally and to feel you belong. It exhibits this by telling of two sisters who used to think alike, but now share opposing views on their lifestyles. The author, Bharati Mukherjee, is an American citizen who married outside of her Indian culture and has lived all over the United States. Her sister Mira has a green card and does not wish to become an American citizen, even though she has become successful in her contributions in the fields of pre-school education and parent teacher relationships. Mira married an Indian student and they have plans to move back to India when she retires. Out of these two essays, The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria is more effective.

Though the existence of some objective moral code may appear to contradict Emerson’s “insist on yourself, never imitate” motto on individuality and the self, ultimately, Emerson means that self-truth is the most sacred truth, and that some degree of right and wrong exists in Nature. On the most basic level, self-reliance refers to the process of self-betterment, not through organized religion or worship, but from looking within, from taking matters into one’s own hands and listening to one’s internal sense. When in touch with this sense, men will arrive at conclusions that have a certain Natural quality; they will just feel right.

Collectively, the Mexican immigrants in this novel align their behaviors and their ambitions to those of American status. An example of this is when the young women attend school and excel and academically, and when their parents sustain well paying employment opportunities; hence, assimilation (Thorpe 2009). Assimilation allows society to sustain its symmetry as long as all societal members, despite the consequences of deviating from their ethnicity and racial identities, mutually embrace one dominant culture, the American culture (Leon-Guerrero 2016). Case in point, collectively, the characters in this novel avoid the anomie that surrounds them and instead fosters modalities that intrinsically motivate them to adapt to their captivity

In the mind-shattering piece of art named “Self Reliance”, Ralph Waldo Emerson said the famous words, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” In the excerpts from “Self Reliance” and “On Various Kinds of Thinking,” one can gather that Ralph Waldo Emerson and James Harvey Robinson shared similar values and views on the flaws society carries, and the many reasons for these flaws. At the same time, the two enlightened authors have different views on how and why knowledge is pursued. To summarize, the two loquacious authors have both similar viewpoints, but also several different opinions.

Becoming Mexican American is George J. Sanchez’s document how Chicanos survived as a community in Los Angeles during the first part of the twentieth century. He goes into detail of how many thousands of Mexicans were pushed back in to Mexico during a formal repatriation. Those that survived in Los Angeles joined labor unions and became involved in New Deal politics.

Growing-up in a predominately Mexican/Mexican-American community as a first-generation girl, like I did, is no walk in the park. Not only was I to uphold my parent’s traditional Mexican values such as: learning to cook and keep to a household, as well as a marriage, but also to uphold my new American values of independence and success measured in money as well as in property. At school I was taught to forget my first language, Spanish, and speak only in English, reminding me that: “You don’t want to speak with an accent.” At home I was reminded that Spanish, was and still is my first language and to leave English for school use only, reminding me that: “We can’t understand you in English.” Through this tug-of-war, between both cultures expectations of who I was to be/become, there was a desperate need to find my own identity, away from either culture. Sandra Cisneros’, The House on Mango Street, documents the need and struggle to find one’s own identity, through the narrator Esperanza’s experiences growing-up in a predominately Latino community in Chicago. Throughout the book Esperanza tries to understand the many different factors that influence her life and identity: in particular ethnicity and gender. Although, Esperanza suggest that she doesn’t want to be identified by either her Mexican identity or her sex; both of these factors play a major role in her struggle to find her own identity, by the way that they are intertwined in her own thoughts and in the descriptions of

Hays and Erford state that “undocumented U.S. Latino/as are most likely to be shut from economic, educational and physical wellness, and that is not mentioning the stigma that comes being termed illegal; creating a stress from fear of deportation”(323). Being Mexican is hard all together. There are constant battles and discriminatory acts from individuals who feel superior to the Latino community. The racist remarks and common stereotypes make Latinos look superfluous within the American culture. As of now, Alejandro states that he has not been discriminated to his persona. On the other hand, he has seen discrimination to individuals of the same race. His personal oppression comes from his legal status. It is common for individuals of

Being Mexican American growing up was I would say quite motivating. I was surrounded by expectations that other individuals had for me that I knew I could accomplish. These expectations lead me to want more for myself and to prove that I was capable of so much more than people, even family members did not think possible. Being the oldest of five siblings and knowing I had to set an example that was something they could look up and say “I want to be as successful as my older sister.” This pushed me to finish high school and have an urge to continue my education.

I come from an extended family. Especially since my parents both come from big families. My relationship with my parents might be depicted as over protected and strong bonded. I tell my mother anything and I know I can trust her with anything.

As a first-generation Latina in college, I could not be where I am without the help of multiple individuals. My parent’s sacrificed so much coming into this country. They left behind their family, their home, in order to one day provide a better future for me. Initially, my parents planned on staying in America for five years then they would go back to Ecuador. However plans changed once my mom became pregnant with me. The decision to stay in order to give me the best future possible greatly affected both my parents. They suffer greatly and lament leaving their family everyday. Only my mom has the slight possibly of returning to her home country but unfortunately, the only thing waiting her is her mother’s grave.

For millions of immigrants, America has been seen as the land of opportunity where anyone could become anything he or she wanted to be. A family that believes strongly in the American dream can be found in Amy Tan’s short story, “Two Kinds.” The story centers around the daughter of a Chinese immigrant who desperately wants her daughter to become successful. In the story, the author shows the difficult lives immigrants face when moving to a new culture. In this short story, the theme shows the protagonist’s conflict with her mother on the type of daughter her mother wants her to be. The author establishes the theme of how difficult mother-daughter relationships can be through characterization, setting, and symbolism.