San Joaquin Valley a place where dreams die early, but those dreams that shine bright enough will change lives of peers around them. Gary Soto, a great poet who wrote many poems such as Self-Inquiry before the Job Interview and even Lesser Evils and other numerous novels and poetry, was born in 1952 in Fresno, California growing up in farmlands. His grandparents, which he lived with since he was five, since his father was killed in a factory accident, were Mexican immigrants who came during the great depression. Since both his parents and grandparent came from Mexican descent they were often look upon as the lower class of society. Soto worked hard to fit in with the white culture however it never was successful, he therefore found a way to speak his heart through poetry, in Self-Inquiry before the Job Interview Soto is explaining to the reader his feels while he is getting ready for his job interview. …show more content…
The poem is set in America and in a small office where he has the interview, we can conclude that Soto’s feelings can be dated back to his first job that he received out of college. The poem is written in free verse, in other words having no rhyme or a regular meter. To add on the conflict Soto shows is man versus himself, trying to get a job and assimilating to the culture. Even though the poem is written in free verse Soto uses figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and imagery, for instance “I learned my hygiene from a raccoon” it is a metaphor for how Soto grew up, poor. Moreover the poem is filled with imagery such as “The sun like a ring on an electric stove” popped up an image in the readers mind of a bright and vibrant sun
Guillermo González Camarena was a Mexican electrical engineer who was the inventor of a color-wheel type of color television, and who also introduced color television to Mexico,
Who would have thought a little boy from the Dominican Republic would have so much effect on people. David Ortiz is a well known player around the Major League Baseball Association, many people know him by Big Papi. He has created foundations and many other things for all types of people. From children to adults and in between, Ortiz has been an influential individual.
Marcario Garcia was not born in Texas; rather his parents carried him across the border from Mexico to Texas as an infant. The family settled in Sugar Land, Texas, where they worked as lowpaid farm workers and raised ten children. The land was originally owned by the Mexican government and was part of the land grant to Stephen F. Austin. Very early, sugarcane stalks from Cuba were brought to the area and a
“Looking For Work” by Gary Soto deals with the life of a nine year old Mexican American boy who daydreams of a better life for his family. He believes that by emulating the families on TV such as from the show Father Knows Best, not only will his family grow closer, but each member of the family will be much more content. Contrary, the story “Little X” by Elizabeth Tallent also deals with a young child who also finds herself alienated from her family in a way that Soto feels alienated from his. Tallent is a young American girl who lives in the suburbs with her family as the depicted happy nuclear family in the 1950s but yet she feels the alienation between her and her parents and also feels estranged
One of Pat Moras poems that imply blank verse is La Migra. Blank verse sounds pretty much like an everyday conversation, and propagate the reader for a heightened response to effects of language, and image in the poem. Blank verse is favored for reflective and narrative poems, and does not rhyme. Blank verse fits perfectly in La Migra, because Pat Mora is narrating the children game, what they are saying, what they are imagining, and if the reader has a good imagination, they can even imagine the setting and think about what is actually happening. Blank verse is also favored in the reflective way, because what Pat Mora is trying to express in La Migra is that everyone has feelings, it does not matter where people are from, or if they are legal or illegally in the United States, but what matters is that people is made all equaly, and all people has the same rights. Not because someone is a border patrol will have the right to kick or touch an illegal person, as the kid on the first stanza thinks, and says “I can take you wherever I want, but don’t ask questions because I don’t speak Spanish. I can touch you wherever I want but don’t complain because I ‘ve got boots and kick – if I have to”. Blank verse is completely necessary in this poem to make what the author is trying to realize possible, in this case, make people think about other people feelings and make a reflective impact on the
George Lopez was born on April 23rd in the year of 1961 in the Mission, Hills of Los Angeles, California. His father who was Anataso was a migrant worker who left his wife, Frieda for a different lifestyle. After Lopez was born, Frieda and George Moved in with his mom’s parents who tried to raise Lopez In her hometown of California. When George was a young kid his mother explained to him that his father had died. Even though, the real truth was that he was in fact alive but wanted nothing to do with his son who he had with his ex-wife. His mother soon remarried when George was only ten years of age. His mouther also left, so he had nowhere to go other than to his grandparents’ house because he figured they would take care of him. Lopez was
Every person is likely to feel a sense of discontentment at some point . This feeling could stem from many different aspects of a person’s life such as their job, house, financial situation, etc, and this in turn inspires an incentive to do something else with their life. In “Saturday at the Canal” , Gary Soto utilizes various literary devices including imagery, symbolism, and personification. These literary devices serve to convey the feeling of desire and motivation to pursue life’s journey.
...new right away I could relate it since English is my second language. In this poem there is a combination of the two languages I know, English and Spanish, which then converts into a new language Spanglish. Many Latino teenagers and children, like me, speak English at work and school and speak Spanish mostly when they are at home. Therefore, the way we Latino people speak is almost like the way Ms. Valdez wrote this poem. This poem is also a reality in the lives of those who migrate to the United States. Many immigrants see that everything is different and new. They also see that they have to slowly adapt to the new environment. Through Gina’s choice of words and imagery, she makes the Latino audience feel more serene with the American Language and culture. All of the humor, imagery, and similes used in this poem made this poem much more enjoyable and relatable.
Many countries have the pleasure of celebrating Independence Days. These historic holidays are filled with nationalistic celebrations and delicious traditional food. In Chile, the natives celebrate their break from Spain with Fiestas Patrias. In Mexico, the president begins the celebration by ringing a bell and reciting the “Grito de Dolores” and he ends his speech by saying “Viva Mexico” three times.
“We are never more truly and profoundly human than when we dance.” Jose Arcadio Limon was a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Mexico. He was inspired to begin his studies in modern dance when he saw a performance of Harald Krutzberg and Yvone Georgi. Limon enrolled at the dance school of Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. He continued to work with Humphrey until 1946, when he founded the José Limón Dance Company. His most successful work is called The Moor's Pavane and it is based on Shakespeare's Othello. The Limón Dance Company still exists and is part of the Jose Limon Dance Foundation, an institution dedicated to preserve and disseminate his artistic dance work and technique. Jose Limon is important in the American Dance History
Jackie Robinson once said that “"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." (Brainy Quotes). Jackie Robinson faced more abuse than any other baseball player. Jackie Robinson had his mind set on breaking the color barrier for African Americans. Jackie Robinson had the muscle strength and talent to inspire and change the color barrier in Major League baseball. Jackie Robinson was one of the most significant baseball players that America has ever known for Jackie Robinson’s bravery to stop the color barrier for, his inspiration he gave to people all around the world and for his accomplishments during baseball and outside of baseball this made him one of the most valuable players in the National League.
Soto’s “Black Hair” is a perfect example of a poem that is effective through close analysis of certain concrete images which hold the key to the foundation of the poem and its underlying themes. In this poem, the universal themes of family and culture are hidden under the figure of Hector Moreno, the image of the narrator’s hair, as well as the extended baseball metaphor about culture. Although the title may seem ordinary at first glance, the challenge that the poem presents through its connection of concrete images and themes is very intriguing, and the themes are made clear through the effective use of certain poetic elements.
The narrator also discusses about a girl about the same age as her would have never been the “right kind of American.” Minorities such as the African Americans, Dominican Americans and any other ethnicity that came to America were looked right under the microscope. This perplexed me I do not understand why they are treated unfairly by the “True Americans.” There is no such thing as True Americans and that this poem definitely targeted it's audience through racial discrimination rather than cultural changes within a neighborhood in Queens, NY. Another Poet had a much refined and unique style of another part of New York City, he is one of my favorite poets Langston Hughes.
The novel has confused many critics and readers because it reads like poetry, yet in actuality it is a narrative. Cisneros admits that many of the vignettes are "lazy poems." This means that they could be poems if she had taken the time to finish them (Olivares 145). At many times throughout the novel the words rhyme and can almost be put to a catchy tune. For example, the chapter "Geraldo No Last Name" reads like a poem with end rhyme and a structured pattern. "Pretty too, and young. Said he worked in a restaurant, but she can't remember which one" (Cisneros 65).
To begin with the chosen poem is the street written by Octavio Paz in 1963. The poem style is written in free verse consisting of 14 stanzas, the poem does not consist of rhyme patterns or many literary devises. The meaning behind The Street by Octavio is about how Octavio is not sure what he wants exactly sure out of life, After Octavio resigned from being Mexico’s’ ambassador he was not sure if he made the right choice or if what he is going to do now. Although By the end of the poem he is trying to come to terms with his decision so he finally confronts "nobody." The street, by Octavio Paz uses an extended metaphor and imagery to convey the struggle which he has inside of himself. In his poem, “The Street”, Octavio Paz uses the literary devise of an extended metaphor, and imagery, and a mysterious, foreshadowing almost tone to capture the reader’s attention.