Analysis Of Into The Beautiful North By Luis Alberto Urrea

National identity is the sense of belonging to society. Introducing Benedict Anderson, he is a political scientist who explored nationalism. One of his great definitions that describe national identity would be, “an imagined political community – and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign…It is imagined because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow-members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion” (Benedict). To describe this quote, it is that national identity is a community of citizens that have a common culture and ethnicity. In the novel, Into the Beautiful North, by Luis Alberto Urrea, it is about a group of adolescent girls who travel

from Mexico to the United States. The characters in the novel are Nayeli, Atomiko, Tacho, Vampi, and Yolo. National identity can originate to adolescent girls due to the cultural orientation and ethnic identity among Mexican women. In addition, national identity can originate to the friends of Mexican origin. Also, national identity can originate to Mexicans in the United States. Furthermore, national identity is the common identity of ethics and culture found in society, where characters like Nayeli, Tacho, and Yolo have demonstrated turning back to stages of adolescent girls, friends of Mexican origin, and Mexicans in the United States.
Teenage girls in Mexico have an interesting culture where they are expected to follow strict rules and have less peer contact and keep their virginity till marriage.

According to Sanchez, Delida, “the virtuous/chaste pillar describes how a Latina is expected to main-tain her virginity until marriage” (2). Delida is saying that national identity is about teenage girls in Mexico that should not have sex with anyone strictly till marriage. However, in the novel, Into the Beautiful North, Yolo violates this strict rule, “Nayeli looked in at them. She watched him atop Yolo. She could smell them. His bottom was pale blue in the window light. Yolo’s thighs were dark, like shadows. Her feet crossed over Matt’s back” (257). The strict rule that a teenage girl should not have sex till marriage was broken in the novel by Yolo. In addition, teenage girls are expected to show respect and obedience to their elders according to Delida, Sanchez, “the subordinate to others pillar reflects the belief that Latinas should show obedience and respect” (2). Delida refers that national identity is based on that Mexican girls have to obey their elders and show

respect.
Friends of Mexican origin demonstrate national identity for cultural orientation.

According to Kim, Peter Seung Yoo, friends highly influence values and and beliefs, “During these formative years, friends not only shape adolescents’ values and beliefs but also influence them on a wide range of developmental domains, including social identity and competence” (2). Kim, Peter Seung Yoo says that friends have a huge impact during the early adolescent stages of a teenager’s life. Friends are a part of a person’s life for a large part of their life, especially in the early stages of life, formatting their social identity and competence. In addition, in the novel, Into the Beautiful North, Nayeli and Tacho have been friends for a long time and have created an inseparable bond with each other, “As the bandidos prowled the town and its outskirts, Tacho and Nayeli went about their day” (15). It is not stated that Nayeli and Tacho have been together for a long time, but it is hinted upon based on when Nayeli and Tacho help each other when the bandidos come to their

workplace.
Mexicans in the United States have a great impact on national identity. According to Vega Tanzina, “Young Hispanics today are more proficient in English than previous generations and the younger they are, the more proficient they are likely to be.” Vega Tanzina is saying that Hispanics prefer learning English to adjust to the United States culture and come legally and not illegally. This is true, because in the novel, Into the Beautiful North, Nayeli and her group go to the United States and go to a restaurant where a group of Mexicans that live in the United States work, “The woman said, We speak English here” (279). Urrea is giving a hint in the novel that legal Mexicans in the United States speak the native language and do not like illegal immigrants.
National identity is the cultural and ethical communalities of society. In Mexico, they base some of their identity with their teenagers values and beliefs. Also, friends in society impact a person’s life in many ways, such as how they behave and act in life and around others. Hispanics that live in the United States also have a good impact on national identity, because they usually speak English and expect other citizens to speak the native language of the country. Furthermore, national identity is based on a person’s view of their culture and beliefs. Many citizens of a country follow certain rules and expectations that are set. Rules that are broken in society are frowned upon and can lead to punishment.