Sandra Cisneros attempts to show the cultural torment that children have to undergo when two cultures clash and they have to adjust. "Mericans" by Sandra Cisneros is a short straightforward story which is easy to understand. In line with the themes mostly revisited by the renowned author, culture is kept at the core of this piece as various comparisons are put forward. The use of various styles such as irony and symbolism play a vital role in creating visual impressions that are bound to evoke the reader’s emotions. This paper attempts to show the author is directly touching on the cultural differences between the Spanish and American way of life through the perspective of a young Spanish girl.
The reader gets a strong sense of the setting in the few lines of the narrative as Cisneros uses various Spanish phrases to it. For instance, the church is described to smell like “incense and the dark and candles in blue glasses” (Cisneros 18). The description of a grandmother kneeling at a mass is an attempt to make the reader visualize a specific heritage and cultural behavior. Also, the grandmother describes the birthplace of the children as “barbarian” further paints the cultural differences. All through the narrative, the narrator never attempts to enter the church because her grandmother warned not to. As we are told, “Micaela, you may wait outside with Alfredito and Enrique” (Cisneros 20). This is the use of symbolism to display a conflict whereby the children are allowed to participate in their indigenous cultural practices while still being denied to the liberty to engage in new cultures.
The theme of poverty is also touched on by Sandra Cisneros. Most American families tend to be more affluent when compared to their Mexican counterparts. The narrator's description of the family members' physical appearances is not appealing. This shows that the family lives in poor conditions and probably migrated to the United States in search of the "American Dream." Furthermore, the narrator says, “We cannot spend our allowance on fried cookies or Familia Burron comic books or those clear cone-shaped suckers” (Cisneros 18). The reader is inclined to assume that the characters receive a small allowance as these items do not cost much. All the while, Micaela tries to find a connection to her grandmother’s cultural beliefs but fails, and even goes as far as describing the church as old and dilapidated by saying, “she disappeared behind the heavy leather outer curtain and the dusty velvet inner” (Cisneros 18) Sandra Cisneros indirectly tries to show the inequality migrant families have to deal with in America.
In an ironical approach, the author points out to cultural differences that exist between ladies in the American and Spanish cultures. This is clearly shown when the two ladies approach the narrator’s brother and speak in broken Spanish as they view the boy as primitive and incapable of comprehending the English language. The narrator says, “they are not from here. Ladies don’t come to church dressed in pants” (Cisneros 20). A close look at this statement shows that Spanish ladies are supposed to be conservative in line with Spanish customs. Micaela further says, "Girl. It's my brothers' favorite insult now instead of "sissy."(Cisneros 19) An investigation into these statements reveals that women are undermined in the Spanish culture as Micaela’s brothers use the term to insult her sister. To finalize, “Mericans”, by Sandra Cisneros tends to address the issue of cultural disparities that tend arise when the concept of Americanization is introduced (Parillo 77). Through the use of styles like tone, irony, and symbolism, the author has been successful in introducing another perspective on the matter.
Works Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. Women Hollering Creek: And Other Stories. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2013.
Parillo, Vincent N. Diversity in America. Routledge, 2015.
