Being Mexican-American: A Literary Analysis of the Life of Mexican Immigrants in the United States

Presenter Information

Markie Stratton

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

SURC 137A

Start Date

16-5-2013

End Date

16-5-2013

Abstract

In the United States of America today, we have seen an increasingly large number of Mexican immigrants. According to the Migration Policy Institute, 11,478 legal Mexican immigrants entered the United States in 2009. In the last couple of years, a number of issues, such as the English-Only Movement, have arisen surrounding these immigrants. Unfortunately, these issues give the impression that for immigrants to be welcome here, they must assimilate themselves completely into American culture. At SOURCE, I will present some of the consequences, both positive and negative, for Mexican immigrants when they immigrate to the United States and assimilate into United States culture. My presentation will explain how the Spanish language and various other parts of Mexican culture are unique and essential to their culture. A literary analysis of works such as Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands, La Frontera: The New Mestiza, and Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street will create a realistic picture of every day life in Mexican-American culture. This topic holds very strong social significance because of its ability to promote interracial and intercultural understanding, as well as to demonstrate the importance that Mexicans, at least in part, retain their own culture.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Alejandro Lee

Additional Mentoring Department

Foreign Languages

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May 16th, 3:40 PM May 16th, 4:00 PM

Being Mexican-American: A Literary Analysis of the Life of Mexican Immigrants in the United States

SURC 137A

In the United States of America today, we have seen an increasingly large number of Mexican immigrants. According to the Migration Policy Institute, 11,478 legal Mexican immigrants entered the United States in 2009. In the last couple of years, a number of issues, such as the English-Only Movement, have arisen surrounding these immigrants. Unfortunately, these issues give the impression that for immigrants to be welcome here, they must assimilate themselves completely into American culture. At SOURCE, I will present some of the consequences, both positive and negative, for Mexican immigrants when they immigrate to the United States and assimilate into United States culture. My presentation will explain how the Spanish language and various other parts of Mexican culture are unique and essential to their culture. A literary analysis of works such as Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands, La Frontera: The New Mestiza, and Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street will create a realistic picture of every day life in Mexican-American culture. This topic holds very strong social significance because of its ability to promote interracial and intercultural understanding, as well as to demonstrate the importance that Mexicans, at least in part, retain their own culture.