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2016 Midterm2
(assignment) |
LITR 4340
 American Immigrant Literature Model Assignments |
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Kimberly Loza
Mexican Americans: Immigrants and Minority
It is questioned whether Mexican Americans should be classified as either
immigrants or a minority. However, an argument can be made that they are both in
which the assignments that I looked over really put a focus on how New World
immigrants can be a minority too but, with more of a focus on Mexican Americans.
These three different assignments talk about Mexican Americans as immigrants and
minorities. They also talk about how the different generations focus less on the
language of their native culture but, focus more on furthering their education.
These ideas can be connected to how this cultural group are both immigrants and
a minority. I really thought that these ideas were very interesting because I
could really make connections to this within my own life and within my own
family as well. This is why I really focused on this matter because I can see
how my people can be classified as both immigrants and a minority.
The
first text that I look at was Adam Glasgow’s Are New World Immigrants Minority
Groups, too?, I rather enjoyed how discussed the matter of not only Mexican
Americans but, also made an argument for other New World immigrants being
classified in this way also. However, he brought up a very good point about
Mexican Americans in which he said “I have friends who regularly travel back and
forth between the United States and Mexico...they brought their culture with
them. Everything from music, literature, art, and even small things like
candy….these friends are proud of their heritage, while at the same time
appreciating what they have in America as well.” This is so true when being a
Mexican American and I can say that I feel the same way myself. I am extremely
proud of my Mexican culture but, being an American also I am very proud of that
culture too. Both of these cultures are what make me the person that I am and I
would not place one over the other because they both have an equal importance.
Glasgow then goes on to say “in this way, they are both immigrants in that
they've come to the US for opportunity and have in many ways assimilated, and
minorities, in that they desire to hold onto their native culture”. This
supports the matter that Mexican Americans can be classified as both immigrant
and minority. Not only do we want to be a part of the dominant culture and work
our way towards a better life but, we still try to maintain our culture which
places us in the minority category.
The next assignment that I noticed
was Cesar Cano’s Language: Unifying and Divisive Tool, in his essay he focuses
on the matter of the Spanish language and how it not only unifies people but,
also divides them. This is very true because I know within my own family this is
a case sometimes. My mother and father both speak Spanish; however, they chose
not to teach us Spanish because they believed that it would hold us back. What I
mean by being held back by it is that they did not want us to be placed in the
ESL classes because they did not want us to fall behind of kids whose first
language was English. This is something that Cano discusses this in his essay in
which he talks about the older generation speaks Spanish while the younger
generation either does not know that language or do not desire to learn it. Cano
states “People who are clearly of Mexican descent but either cannot or refuse to
speak the language of their ancestors. A baffling discovery but a common one and
one which led me to think of the importance of language and the generational gap
between Mexican immigrants and their Mexican American children”. This is very
true with my own family due to my Grandparents speak very broken English while
us later generations speak very little Spanish. It is not that we chose not to
learn it is just that we have assimilated into the dominant culture so much that
there is really no need to learn it fully. The reason that my grandparents do
not know very much English is due to that they originally lived in Mexico and
became citizens of the US. So, this shows that Mexican Americans can be
considered both immigrants and minorities due to language.
The final
assignment that really interested me was Alexandra Alvarado’s Betrayal or
Opportunity? This essay focuses on how education is see as a way of betrayal or
opportunity for Mexican Americans. She brings up an interesting fact into how
education is placed on a higher level to that of second generation Mexican
American immigrants as opposed to their parents. I thought this was rather
interesting because this is something that you typically see in the Hispanic
culture. Thinking about this I automatically think of my grandparents and myself
into how between generations there is an increased focus on education. For
example, both of my grandparents didn’t go to high school because their parents
had them start working because they thought that was more important that school.
Then my parents went on a little further and both graduated from high school
but, did not go to college because they thought it would be better to work
instead. Now for myself, I am in the progress of getting my degree and I will
also be the first person in my family to graduate from college. This is
something that Alvarado talks about in her essay in which she says “Many parents
of immigrants want a better education for their children and the generations to
come. The first-generation immigrants begin to see the restrictions that their
education level has on their opportunities here in America.” Similarly, among
Mexican American youth, parents’ educational attainment has been shown to be an
important pathway through which normative educational expectations and
achievement are shaped”. The first generation came to this country seeking
success but, then they realize that they need an education in order to do this.
However, the newer generation who puts a matter of minority into the mix because
they focus more on education due to they want that success in not only life but,
in society as well.
With Mexican Americans it can be seen that they can
be classified an immigrant and minority due to how they have in some ways come
here voluntarily but, have also held onto the culture that they are proud of. I
know for myself I identify as both Mexican and American because both of these
cultures play an equal as well as important role in my life. They have made me
the person that I am today.
