Mericans By Sandra Cisneros Analysis

Writer's such as Dwight Okita and Sandra Cisneros were greatly influenced by the American culture. "Response to Executive Order 9066" by Dwight Okita, and "Mericans" by Sandra Cisneros both authors use the theme American Identity. Okita's poem establishes American identity by having two best friends of different race but they don't notice it but other people around them do. Both Okita's poem and Cisneros's short story show that where you're from and how you look does not determine what it means to be American.

In response to "Mericans", Michelle, the daughter seems that she hates her whole family as she's naming them all. For example, she calls her uncle Uncle Fat-face, and Auntie Light-skin. In American culture childhood is a happy time but this girl she seems to struggle with her identity as she says she is the only daughter who does not want to go to church. The "awful grandmother" is pushing her towards not wanting to be from her culture because of the amount of pressure she puts on her. When the "awful grandma" is praying for the "Mericans" and that refers to her dislike of the United States. The Author develops the American Identity theme by having the daughter wanting to find her own
Reading further in the story we can see how greatly the girl is affected as she states that her best friend is a white girl named Denise. She has been affected by her best friend simply because her family culture is completely different from her friend Denise's family culture. When the little girl has to go to the internment camp she has a fight with Denise and Denise tells her to shut her mouth. The little girl tells Denise to plant the tomato seed and when it grows she will regret what she says to Denise. The American Identity in this story is naive, the girl doesn't know that there is a difference until her family tells her that they are