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Zaragoza 4 Felix Zaragoza Mrs.

Hampton American Literature 10/10/12 Period 4 Legal Alien

For some people being from two different culture is a great thing however for others not even close to great. In the contemporary time period (1970s-present) were the people believe that people from different ethnicity, gender, culture ,and nationalist should be heard. In Legal Alien by Pat Mora an emotion provoking poem. The speaker describes the struggles and benefits that being from two distant backgrounds can bring. The speaker uses literary devices such as hyphen, metaphor, and personification in the poem. The author is addressing to ignorant americans and mexicans through the emotions of guilt and unfair treatment. Furthermore author believes that being from two different cultures can be a good tool for success in the other hand it can isolate someone and put them in the position to chose between the two cultures theyre from. The use of the hyphen is to make the words stand out and have the reader think more deeper into its meaning. Therefore the speaker starts his poem by using this device. Bi-lingual Bi-cultural This helps the reader not to just to think what the word means but can also foreshadow the poem which makes the reader to read more. In addition this helps the reader to give a sense in where the reader is coming from. By using the words Bicultural and Bilingual the reader can break down the word which is what the hyphen is meant to do. The reader than can conclude that the speaker is mix with two cultures and thus can speak two languages. Moreover the speaker the same strategy at the end of the poem. It states Bi-laterally This means that the speaker wants to make it clear that its all about equality. Even though the speaker knows that the ability to speak two languages effects on the two cultures that the speaker tries to make the importance of both sides even. For the fact that spanish and english or americans and mexicans

Zaragoza 4 Felix Zaragoza Mrs. Hampton American Literature 10/10/12 Period 4

still some can't get along. Which puts the speaker in position to choose a side and defend it.Which can lead to unfairness for the fact it can make the person is using favoritism knowing that theses two cultural enemies or so people say make the speakers identity The use of hyphens make the reader take the word and find what it really is trying to say. The speaker uses metaphors to give two unlike things and compare them together to get a deep meaning out of it. In this poem the speaker states an american to mexicans and a mexican to americans. This shows that if you are BIlingual and Bicultural in this case mexican american you are part of the both cultures not to choose which to be. For the fact that the speaker tries to say is that he is an american that is part of the mexican population as well as a mexican that is part of the american population. At the same time this can show a negative side for the fact that he is a mexican surrounded by americans and vice versa making him feel like the outsider from the group.It also gives that sense of gulit for the fact that one maybe teaching others ro be racist and have humans go agianst eachother as if the people suport this. Furthermore the speaker states a handy token this here is another metaphor comparing the people that are mixed with other cultures. It shows that being mixed is a good quality to have for the fact that it can take you far in life. Thats why the speaker compares it to a token for the fact that tokens are use for buses and buses can take a person to far away places it just depends on how far the person wants to go. The speaker uses metaphors to give deep meaning on things that are not similar. Personification is another literary device that the speaker uses. In the poem the speaker states their eyes say you may speak spanish but you're not like me. This is personification for the fact that eyes cant talk. This implies that mexicans are staring at the speaker. They stare at

Zaragoza 4 Felix Zaragoza Mrs. Hampton American Literature 10/10/12 Period 4

him as giving the speaker a dirty look. With that dirty look the speaker could imply that the mexicans want him to stop acting like if he is a full mexican when he is only half. Which the reader can conclude that the mexicans that treat the speaker unfairly are ignorant. For the fact that the mexicans dont consider the speaker mexican even though he is. Those ignorant people only consider others mexicans if one was born in mexico. This device helps picture the unfairness one goes through and having to choose what culture makes them who they are. It also gives other people the sense of guilt for the fact that one is targeting its own race its sends a bad image to society . The speaker uses personification in the poem. This poem reflects to the time for the fact that the speaker is having a mexican american express on how she feels. This poem is tend to target ignorant people that are americans and also targets the ignorant mexicans. For the fact the speaker feels that he must choose which culture identifies who he is. Even though the speaker is truly both however that would not satisfy society you are either one or the other.

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