Posting a one-paragraph response to that Discussion’s readings and posing one discussion question that we may use for interaction or for lecture-discussion. The responses are not academic essays but rather opportunities for you to meaningfully engage with the themes of the readings. Simply summarizing the readings will only achieve you 10 points, your interpretation or analysis would add 10 more points, the discussion question 5 points, and the interaction with your peers 5 more points for a total of 30 points per posting. Consider what concept, idea, or takeaway did you find most meaningful?(Response should be 400-500 words)
Please also reply to these two of your peer’s responses. (Each reply should be 200 words)
A: In the reading, “The Homeland, Aztlán: El Otro México”, Gloria Anzaldúa writes in English and in Spanish to emphasize her bilingualism. Gloria writes about the history of the U.S.-Mexican border while implementing her personal life story.
Gloria begins the chapter by defining the U.S.-Mexican border as two merging artificial worlds. “The lifeblood of two worlds merging to form a third country-a border culture” (25). According to Gloria, a border is a dividing line among places that are safe and unsafe (25). For example, Gloria states “A borderland is a vague and undetermined place created by the emotional residue of an unnatural boundary. It is in a constant state of transition. The prohibited and forbidden are its inhabitants” (25). Gloria illustrates the U.S.- Mexican border as a never-ending change. In addition, as a child, Gloria recalls seeing the ocean beyond a barbed-wire fence dividing the United States and Mexico. Gloria thought it defied national borders because the sea was endless and inevitable. The sea continued from country to country and redefined the borders.
Moreover, Gloria shares her own experience, others’ experiences, and the history of indigenous people in the Southwest. Gloria combined different genres and literary approaches like poetry, memoirs, history, and critical theory in her book. Gloria touches on a lot of topics like the rude awakening of “el mestizo,” or people of “mixed Indian and Spanish blood” (27). Gloria also mentions “Chicanos or border people”, which are American people of Mexican origin or descent.
Due to the absence of resources and economic opportunities in Mexico, Gloria discusses why illegal migration is common and dangerous. Gloria explains the dangers of crossing the U.S.-Mexican border and living in America illegally. Resulting in criminalization and poverty for Mexican immigrants in the United States and in Mexico. Lastly, Gloria describes herself as the “Shadow-Beast” because she left her home to rebel against cultural traditions. For instance, in a traditional Mexican household men are usually the breadwinners while the women stay at home. There are a lot of restrictions and roles for both genders, especially women. In addition, Gloria is also a lesbian and chose to use her queer identity in order to rebel against these patriarchal ideas. Gloria describes the major risk women faced in Mexico and at the border.
I found the reading quite interesting because I am Mexican-American and I can relate to the in-between feeling of two countries and two cultures. I also liked how Gloria combined two languages and two cultures, to create a whole new world (25). I want to know why Gloria refers to Mexicans as “twice Indigenous” to the Southwest?
B: After reading “The Homeland,” Gloria Anzaldua immediately begins with the dreadful glory of the barbed wire that is the border between the U.S. and Mexico. She states that the border is an “emotional residue of an unnatural boundary” speaking about how it is the people, specifically the whites that created a definition for the border which now lies as a life or death state for Mexicans and Mexican Americans (25). She includes examples, such that one of her family members was just working in the fields and though he was a fifth generation American, he did not have his birth certificate with him, which led immigration to deport him. With little protection towards Mexicans it is almost expected that they will either be deported or be killed if they go anywhere near the border.
What stands out to me most about her writing is the numerous amounts of history that she adds because she is almost telling a story about how the creation of the border began and the emotional baggage behind it. Her writing style reminded me a lot of the ethos, pathos, and logos style where she added credible historical mentions from the indigenous ancestors that lived in central Mexico creating a mestizo population to the U.S. and Mexican War that created the border fence between the two areas. She created this argument with the audience about how so many people in Mexico take the risk of danger and even death to escape the low wages and opportunity that exists in Mexico. I noticed that at the beginning of her piece she states “This is my home this thin edge of barbwire,” but at the end she states “This is her home this thin edge of barbwire,” showing that this piece might be her story and her experience, but it isn’t different than so many Mexican women out there. She is bringing awareness to the emotional grief that every Mexican woman has to endure and carry with them when taking the step and crossing the border.
I really enjoyed this reading since Gloria seems to have written in a much more emotional manner when referencing her personal experiences and memories. It got me questioning if she was more fearful or envious of the border after the U.S. and Mexican war?
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