Pedro Pietri's 'Puerto Rican Obituary'

In the early 20th century, many Puerto Ricans immigrated to America. They came here searching for the American Dream. Instead, they found many hardships, as shown in Pedro Pietri's “Puerto Rican Obituary.” In “Puerto Rican Obituary,” the speaker demonstrates economic problems, discrimination, and the cultural difference.
The Puerto Ricans faced many economic problems. To begin, as Pietri wrote about how Puerto Ricans here accept how they were being treated, he writes, “They worked/ ten days a week/ and were only paid for five.” The Puerto Ricans are being overworked and underpaid. Some may say that they have jobs, and they’re living. However, the text says, “Who keep them employed/ as lavaplatos/ porters messenger boys/ factory workers maids stock clerks/ shipping clerks assistant mailroom/ assistant, assistant assistant/ to the assistant’s assistant/ assistant lavaplatos and automatic/ artificial smiling doormen/ for the lowest wages of the ages.” The jobs they have are allowed to have aren’t respected by society and don’t pay well. Additionally, the text states, “All died/ hating the grocery stores/ that sold them make-believe steak/ and bullet-proof rice and beans.” They can’t afford the high end brands of foods and have to buy the cheaper brands.
Not only do they have economic problems, but they are also

discriminated against.
For example, Pietri says, “They died never knowing/ what the front entrance/ of the first national city bank looks like.” They were not allowed to use the front entrance of the bank because they look different.

White society believes that they truly are different and it’s acceptable to treat the Puerto Ricans like this. This is wrong because, Pietri writes, “they are a beautiful people” and deserve to be treated as such. Also, when talking about their jobs, the speaker says, “Rages when you demand a raise/ because it is against company policy/ to promote SPICS SPICS SPICS.” They aren’t hired for good paying jobs because they are viewed as

different.
Although the Puerto Ricans are discriminated against, they also have cultural differences. For instance, the speaker states, “They stop neglecting/ the art of their dialogue-/ for broken english lessons.” There’s a language barrier between the Americans and the Puerto Ricans. They have grown up speaking Spanish, while the Americans grew up speaking English. People may argue that they don’t belong and should be grateful for what they’ve been given. This assertion is wrong because they live on “nervous breakdown streets/ where mice live like millionaires.” They’ve been given crumbs, and deserve much more. Moreover, when showing the Puerto Ricans ignore the way they’re treated, the text says, “They were train to turn/ the other cheek by newspapers/ that misspelled mispronounced/ and misunderstand their names.” The white people neglect to want to understand the differences of their cultures.
Economic troubles, discrimination, and cultural differences are all conditions demonstrated in Pedro Pietri’s “Puerto Rican Obituary.” White society discriminated against the Puerto Ricans due to their cultural differences. Because of the discrimination, the Puerto Ricans lived in poverty. Society has lost the intelligence of the Puerto Rican population and possible innovations. Everyone should be accepted no matter what they look like. One shouldn’t have to be forced with the burden of society wanting them dead.