Legal Alien (By: Pat mora) Analysis
I chose this poem because it describes what is like to be a Mexican American. What is Mexican American? A Mexican American is born in America but has Mexican roots. This might like a sound simple subject, however being caught up in two different cultures often causes problems. For example fitting in at school. In Pat Mora’s poem he says “viewed by by anglos as perhaps exotic, perhaps perhaps inferior, definitely different…” this reminds me of elementary school and not fitting in with American kids. Most of the time because of diffrences in culture, intrests, and views.
Being Mexican American dosen’t just affect someone at school but at home as well. In this poem it also says “viewed by Mexicans as alien, (their eyes say “you may speak spanish but you are not like me”) an American to Mexicans “. This reminds me of times when I would talk in spanish to others and they would notice and maybe even crack a joke about my American accent.
A Mexican American May be bi-lingual and bi-culture but it doesn’t always mean they accepted . As Pat Mora says Mexcan Americans are “a handy token sliding back and fourth between the fringes of both worlds by smiling by msking the disconfort of being pre-judged bi-laterlly.
Being Mexican American dosen’t just affect someone at school but at home as well. In this poem it also says “viewed by Mexicans as alien, (their eyes say “you may speak spanish but you are not like me”) an American to Mexicans “. This reminds me of times when I would talk in spanish to others and they would notice and maybe even crack a joke about my American accent.
A Mexican American May be bi-lingual and bi-culture but it doesn’t always mean they accepted . As Pat Mora says Mexcan Americans are “a handy token sliding back and fourth between the fringes of both worlds by smiling by msking the disconfort of being pre-judged bi-laterlly.