The Symbolism Of Thanksgiving In 'Democracy' By Richard Blanco

In “América,” written by Richard Blanco, Blanco splits his poem into five different sections that portray the speaker’s evolution and experience of celebrating Thanksgiving, as an attempt to try to acclimate to American norms. The speaker, a Cuban immigrant, decides “this Thanksgiving we would have turkey,/ as well as pork;” the “pork” symbolizes that the speaker still wants to hold on to his Cuban culture. Despite the fact that “they [his family] agreed,” they are uncomfortable with the stereotypical American Thanksgiving dinner, which is apparent in Section V. Initially, “Abuelita prepared the poor fowl/ as if committing an act of treason,” and during the dinner “the turkey was passed around/ like a game of Russian Roulette,” indicating that