Analysis Of Mericans By Sandra Cisneros

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"Mericans" by Sandra Cisneros and "In Response to Executive Order 9066: All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers” by Dwight Okita are two short stories that depict two different young women, both overcoming adversity of cultural identity and stereotyping. While the girls have different ethnic backgrounds, both are characterized to be vulnerable and effected by their negative surroundings. In "Mericans", the young girl and her siblings is in the care of her grandmother, whom she characterizes as awful. She describes her surroundings, as familiar, from the language to the rituals at her grandmothers church yet the familiarity is interpreted as though she is visiting. Her grandmother spends her time in the church praying for all the members of her family while the children are to remain in the doorway of the church, under strict orders not to stray far. When a couple, clearly American, approached the children, offering them gum in weak Spanish and …show more content…

She identifies as an American, vocalizing her love for American food and even her uncomfortability using Japanese eating utensils. She wants to take tomato seeds with her on her relocation but is told by her father that the place they are traveling to is so different, her plants will not grow. However, through her sadness, she finds happiness in knowing she has her best friend at school, whom she usually sits next to, due to their closeness in alphabetical name order. The young girl recounts their friendly banter and jokes but the banter abruptly changes to hateful persecution from her former friend, who is now sitting on the other side of the room from her. The struggle of cultural identify is evident and the ethnic stereotyping is crystal clear as she is berated with racially insensitive

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