(1) Sandra Cisneros's "Mericans" is about a young American girl of Mexican descent who is struggling between
her cultural
heritage and American identity. (2) Cisneros illustrates this through a number of images and ideas.
(3) For example, the speaker, Micaela, calls her grandmother "awful," and seems to resent the woman's strict
views and religious ideals. (4) The speaker also mentions how she and her brother emulate characters from
popular American television programs when they play make-believe. (5) Lastly, she describes physically standing
outside her family's church, an act that symbolizes the fact that she feels like an outsider to Mexican culture. (6)
Although Micaela is of Mexican descent, she seems to feel a stronger connection to the United States.
Which is the best thesis statement for the entire essay?
While the speaker of Okita's poem feels strongly about her identity as an American citizen, the speaker of Cisneros's
short
story identifies more closely with her Mexican family.
Both Okita's poem and Cisneros's short story show that people can feel tension between their cultural heritage and
American
identity due to racism and discrimination.
The family members in Cisneros's and Okita's works play a significant role in the lives of both narrators as they
contemplate their place
in hostile environments.
Cisneros and Okita rely on imagery to convey their ideas about American identity.