Question: Briefly describe the culture identified in the novel.
Julia Alvarez’s book, How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents, is story of four sisters growing up in two different cultures. The story depicts the Dominican Republic's culture that the four sisters were used to compared to the new American culture that they had to adopt when they went to the United States (Alvarez, 1991). In their motherland, the Garcia girls had a life of luxuries in the Dominican aristocracy based on the family structure, where social status was determined by family ties (Alvarez, 1991). Women preferred a life of leisure and refinement that was entitled to the upper-class Dominican women rather than fighting for their freedom. The Dominican culture also valued female virginity. Also, the language played a role in differentiating the two cultures (Alvarez, 1991). When they moved to the United States, there was a language barrier which made their lives difficult. The girls had to learn English to fit in the new culture; hence the title of the book (Alvarez, 1991).
There are two dominant cultures identified in the book- Dominican and American cultures. American culture supports feminism and sexual exploration where women take control of their bodies and seek sexual pleasure. In the book, the girls’ father, Carlos finds it hard to abandon the urge to control his daughters while in the United States. This urge to control becomes the cause of their family disagreements (Alvarez, 1991). Moving to a new country or region can be a challenge in term of culture. One is exposed to new beliefs, ideals and practices. I experienced a different culture when I visited Brazil and this personal experience makes it possible for me to understand the case of the Garcia sisters.
Reference
Alvarez, J. (1991). How the García girls lost their accents. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
