Pat Mora Legal Alien Essay

Weekly Journal Unit 3: Pat Mora “Legal Alien”
Being bicultural can have its disadvantages and its advantages. Pat Mora’s poem “Legal Alien is just one of many poems about being coming from two different cultures. When you say something in English and you try to translate it to Spanish, it gives you a different meaning. The advantages of being bicultural is that you get to experience two different cultures. For example Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead is somewhat similar to Halloween. You have two different celebrations from two different countries. You can dress up and have candy.
Being bicultural can also be somewhat difficult to gain acceptance within your community. Some people may view you as an exotic person and also different.

On the other side you are viewed by Mexicans as an outsider. Even though you look and speak Spanish, the Mexican community doesn’t see you as one of them. “Happy, sad, confused, lost but at the same time she tries to cover all her feelings and what she is thinking “by masking the discomfort” ( Mora line 20). That is how one feel not being happy of coming from two different cultures. Americans don’t fully accept Mexican-Americans because they come from Mexican families. Americans also view Mexican Americans as not fully American. Also Mexican American are not superior as the Americans.
Pat Mora uses a metaphor to explain the advantages of being Mexican-American. For example she says “a handy token sliding back and forth between the fringes of both worlds... (Mora line 16). I like the way she compares herself a coin. She compares herself to a coin since coins have two sides. She is basically saying that one side she is Mexican and the other side she is American. She then uses the word fringes to compare it to the border. The border that she is separated between being Mexican and American. Pat is brining both of those worlds together.
Being able to communicate in two different languages is also an advantage. You are a stronger candidate when applying for a job. Nowadays more jobs require employees to speak Spanish and English. Especially if there main customers are Spanish speaking only. If you are bi-cultural you have different points of view. You are also aware of the cultural differences. Being from two ethnicities at the same time can cause problems when it comes to choosing sides.
Some of the disadvantages of being bi-cultural is people call you names.

For example in the poem it say “viewed by Mexicans as alien, their eyes say, “you may speak Spanish but you’re not like me” (Mora line 8-10). People begin to judge you because you are Mexican American. Either you Mexican or American. Being bi-cultural means to me that you carry Mexico’s traditions and also you America’s traditions. You are considered Mexican American and you should only view this as being a positive thing. Mexicans view the Mexican-Americans as “aliens “because they are different from them because they weren’t born in Mexico There are more advantages than disadvantages of being bi-cultural. Being b-cultural can be frustrated because all the stereotypes of being Mexican-American. Also the bad reputation that Mexican-American deal with of being from two different cultures. Some of those stereotypes that Mexican Americans deal with are that they are drunk people. Another stereotype is that they have a lot of babies, they are in gangs, or uneducated because of the low education level that their parents had. These stereotype follow Mexican- American around. For example when you are greeted at a high end store in the mall the store associate greet you in Spanish instead of English. I find this somewhat offensive since I can perfectly communicate in English. Another thing I notice is the store associate tend to follow me closely around the

store.
These are just some of the disadvantages and advantages that I learned from reading “Legal Alien” and also my own expertise. As a Mexican American I won’t let any stereotypes or the fact that my community doesn’t accept me get in my way. As a Mexican-American I feel proud of where my parents came and their culture. I will keep on embracing the two different culture that I am. I not Mexican or American, I’m Mexican American and I’m very proud of my two cultures.