Consquently, Anzaldúa further develops the idea of mestiza as a “new higher consciousness” that will break down barriers, and fight against the male/female dualistic norms of gender (Anzaldúa 79). According to her, anyone can become a new, or nueva, mestiza, one who supports various cultures, particularly the Chicano/a culture, by means of solidarity and understanding. Anyone can participate because the process is not separated by culture or race, but entirely the opposite. Instead, it is based off of cognizance and awareness of the struggles endured by others, such as Chicana/Latinas, and calls for acceptance rather an exclusion. She states that the mestiza constantly has to shift to different problems and means constantly to include rather …show more content…
In Borderlands/La Frontera, she often challenges social norms and her own culture in various ways. For example, her life as a Chicana lesbian often went against the gendered expectations of the Latino culture. In many instances, she states that she wants to be happy with the way she is, but cannot help but see how it discomforts her family, and society (Anzaldúa 16). Anzaldúa was raised in a Latino family, adherent to many Latino values. As per tradition, she was raised to keep her mouth shut and not ask questions, therefore disabling her possibilities of questioning her culture or place in the world. She was taught to devoutly respect men, to essentially be a slave for men, and to have only aspirations to marry and have a family. Anzaldúa states that she was not allowed to be "selfish," as she was taught that if she was not doing something for a man, then she was exhibiting laziness. This emphasis on pleasing men is quintessential to Latino culture, and Anzaldúa proves this through her anecdotes. She is not alone in this sentiment, as another Latina writer mirrors her very concerns in her own …show more content…
She found solace in the conceptions of la mestiza and the Coatlicue state, in which she found duality, and the ability to express multiple facets of herself. As a lesbian, she challenged the norms imposed by the Catholic Church, an integral part of Latino/Chicano culture. As a lesbian, she also challenged normalized conceptions of womanhood, such as the sole purpose of loving a man and marriage. Anzaldúa was rebellious in this instance, and in turn, created a means to disband certain ideologies, and revolutionize the Latino/Chicano culture. This is summarized in her words, "Esos movimientos de rebeldia que tenemos en la sangre nosotros los Mexicanos surgen como rios desbocanados en mis venas" (Anzaldúa 15). Essentially stating, that the rebellious movements in the blood of Mexicans, flow like rivers through her veins. It is undeniable to state that writers such as Anzaldúa broke cultural barriers and called into question what it truly means to be a Latina/Chicana, a woman, a homosexual, and a
n Chapter 3, “Entering Into the Serpent”, Anzaldua discuss about serpents and snakes and she was told they were dangerous growing up. Then, she goes in with a history of the goddesses of Mexican and Chicano cultures. According to Anzaluda, many of the Indian groups had goddesses that were respected feminine, the wild, the beast within women. She explains that most of the tribal leaders were females but, then the Aztec rulers changed things, though, by destroying documents, rewriting mythology, creating wars and defeat. The Aztecs changes the view of the strong female goddess and made them evil and subduing men. This chapter make realize ho man became the dominant gender when it comes to household or ruling a country. They are intimidate by
Preceding her youth, in 1977, Anzaldua became a High School English teacher to Chicano students. She had requested to buy Chicano texts, but was rejected to do so. The principal of the school she worked for told her, in Anzaldua’s words: “He claimed that I was supposed to teach “American” and English literature.” She then taught the text at the risk of being fired. Anzaldua described, “Being Mexican is a state of soul – not on of mind.” All in all, the reprimanding she had to endure only made her stronger: “Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself.” It led to Anzaldua embracing her Mexican culture even more, contrary to shoving it aside. Anzaldua transformed her beliefs into something both cultures can applaud, and be honored
Gloria Anzaldúa was a Chicana, lesbian feminist writer whose work exemplifies both the difficulties and beauty in living as one’s authentic self. She published her most prominent work in 1987, a book titled Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. In Borderlands, she write of her own struggle with coming to terms with her identify as a Chicana, an identity that lies at the border between Mexican and American. For instance, she writes,“we are a synergy of two cultures with various degrees of Mexicanness or Angloness. I have so internalized the borderland conflict that sometimes I feel like one cancel out the other and we are zero” However, even as she details this struggle she asserts pride in her identity, declaring, “I will no longer be
Her metaphors help the readers understand in a better way how those experiences affect those who are labeled as “queer.” She explains that a queer is someone seen as different than the rest, like the underdog, the abnormal, etc. She quickly dives into the situation by talking about “los atravesados” which translates to “the crossed” the ones who are discriminated. She adds “Los atravesados live here… Gringos in the U.S. Southwest consider the inhabitants of the borderlands transgressors, aliens- whether they possess documents or not,” (Anzaldua pg.3) These lines express how those people are being discriminated against. These lines by the author makes me think about my own personal situation, because being a legal resident of the U.S. gives the chance to be here legally, but it does not take the fact that I am an ‘alien’ and number that will be there unless I become a citizen, so those feelings I understand completely because I have lived that and I see what the author is
Anzaldua grew up in the United States but spoke mostly Spanish, however, her essay discusses how the elements of language began to define her identity and culture. She was living in an English speaking environment, but was not White. She describes the difficulty of straddling the delicate changing language of Chicano Spanish. Chicano Spanish can even differ from state to state; these variations as well as and the whole Chicano language, is considered a lesser form of Spanish, which is where Anzaldua has a problem. The language a person speaks is a part...
Rather, it criticizes this culture through its portrayal of women. The narrative is focused on a male and is told by a male, which reflects the male-centered society it is set in. However, when we compare how the narrator views these women to who they really are, the discrepancies act as a critique on the Dominican culture. Yunior, who represents the typical Dominican male, sees women as objects, conquests, when in fact their actions show their resistance to be categorized as such. Beli, whose childhood was filled with male domination by Trujillo and the family she worked for, attempts to gain power through sexuality, the avenue the culture pushes women toward. This backfires, creating a critique of the limited opportunities available for women. La Inca portrays a different side to this, working quietly but in ways that are not socially acceptable through self-employment. Society attempts to cage these women, but they continue to fight against it. Diaz, in an interview, quoted James Baldwin, stating, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced" (Fassler). He exhibits the misogyny in the system but does not support it, rather critiques it through strong female characters. By drawing attention to the problem, the novel advocates for change. Diaz writes, at the end of part 1, “Nothing more exhilarating… than saving yourself by the simple act of waking”
The essay “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldua is relevant to today’s society, because it brings to discussion important social issues such acculturation, racism, and sexism. A major social event that she lived through and was an advocate of was the Chicano movement, which influenced her in her writing. This essay is not only written solely using her intelligence and research, it also comes from personal experience. Furthermore, she says that she will not be silenced anymore, that all people deserve the right to freedom of speech and the freedom to their culture. Not to have to submit to the dominant cultures found here in the United States. This essay is directed towards two groups
Moreover, she feels that the "U.S society is gendered and racialized: it expects certain behavior from women, certain bearings from men, certain comportment from queer mujeres, certain demeanor from queer hombres, certain conduct from disabled, and so on"(65 Anzaldua).
The struggle to find a place inside an un-welcoming America has forced the Latino to recreate one. The Latino feels out of place, torn from the womb inside of America's reality because she would rather use it than know it (Paz 226-227). In response, the Mexican women planted the seeds of home inside the corral*. These tended and potted plants became her burrow of solace and place of acceptance. In the comfort of the suns slices and underneath the orange scents, the women were free. Still the questions pounded in the rhythm of street side whispers. The outside stare thundered in pulses, you are different it said. Instead of listening she tried to instill within her children the pride of language, song, and culture. Her roots weave soul into the stubborn soil and strength grew with each blossom of the fig tree (Goldsmith).
At the beginning of the essay, Anzaldúa recounts a time when she was at the dentist. He told her, “We’re going to have to control your tongue” (33). Although he was referring to her physical tongue, Anzaldúa uses this example as a metaphor for language. The dentist, who is trying to cap her tooth, symbolizes the U.S. who is similarly seeking to restrict the rights of minority groups. Nevertheless, the tongue is preventing the dentist from doing his job. Likewise, there are several minority groups who refuse to abide to the laws of dominant cultures and are fighting back. Anzaldúa also touches on a personal story that happened at school. When she was younger, she was sent to the corner because apparently, she spoke back to her Anglo teacher. The author argues that she was unfairly scolded because she was only telling her teacher how to pronounce her name. Her teacher warned her, “If you want to be American, speak American. If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.” This short story provides an understanding of what Anzaldúa’s life was like. It demonstrates how even at a young age, she was continually pressured because of where comes
The Chicana/o identity is a composition of cultural pride, consciousness, and commitment to activism. Cultural pride in the Chicano social identity emphasizes mestizaje, which is the mixture of Spanish and indigenous races. Consciousness refers to Chicanos being aware of their unfair historical and contemporary treatment while being committed to bringing change to the Mexican-American people. The commitment to social activism is bringing change to the community through education, politics, and economics. According to Lopez, Chicano Rap is a “subgenre of Rap music as well as Latin Hip Hop.” It is used as a medium to communicate the hardships and barriers faced by the Mexican immigrant community (Lopez,
On one hand we can see that she pushes back and challenges her tradition on the other hand it is difficult to not see emotion expressed by herself when she is alone. One scene that does do this is when she is buying condoms for the first time but does not know what to purchase. This small but significant scene revels that although she is strong and ready she also needs guidance through her path of adulthood. She is able to ask a pharmacist for advice but not her own mother. This lack of connection to be open up to mothers is emphasized enough to create awareness that young Mexican American women need someone to talk to and it should preferably be their
Based on Poems, Protests, and a Dream, it can be concluded that Sor Juana faced many hardships when it came to the male dominated society she lived in and her thirst for knowledge. The two go together because as she learned more about gender and identity, she became less satisfied with her society. Everything that a woma...
She is the one that refuses to oblige to societal orders. She is the “Shadow-Beast” (38) with “Chicana identity grounded in the Indian woman’s history of resistance” (43). Although alienated physically, Anzaldua is “immobilized” (43) mentally the more confined she becomes in a culture engulfed in pure oppression. She claims her “shadow-beast” as the depiction of her highly wanted independence as an individual human being, which eventually forces her to leave her family behind to find herself separately from the “intrinsic nature buried under the personality that had been imposed” (38) for people like Anzaldua for many years. Her push for rebellion sets a voice for the silenced anger and pure resistance against the ostracism of herself, her family, culture, and the white-washed society she has been born into. To be the only Chicana, lesbian, and rebellious woman in her family is considered sinful, as women, according to Anzaldua, in Mexico only have “three directions she could turn: to the church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother” (39). Noticing that women are culturally restricted to these roles, Anzaldua creates the opposite role for herself claiming to take the “fourth choice” by “entering the world by way of education and career and becoming self-autonomous persons,” (39), which she uses to her advantage to transform the prolonged oppression into her long awaited freedom to live as an openly queer woman
Suaréz, Lucia M. “Julia Alvarez And The Anxiety Of Latina Representation.” Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism 5.1 (2004): 117-145. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 25 Mar.2014.