This paper examines the intra- and intergroup struggles of Mexican-American proletarians through the poetry of Gloria Anzaldúa and Lorna Dee Cervantes. By analyzing their works, it highlights ongoing prejudices and disadvantages faced by the Mexican-American working class and how these issues persist in the 21st century.
I argue that the intra- and intergroup division of the Mexican-American proletarians described in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands from 1987 and Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem from 2013, mirrors itself in the 21st Century in so far that Mexican-American proletarians face strong prejudices and disadvantages, which every one of them perceives and handles in different ways. Against this backdrop, Anzaldúa- and Dee Cervantes’ poems will be analysed separately in terms of intra- and intergroup division. The essay begins by exploring the intra-group division of the Mexican-American working-class and then continues with the inter-group division of Mexican-American proletarians with other Americans. Finally, the conclusion mediates all arguments and gives an outlook on possible further research.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Intragroup Division of the Mexican-American Working-Class in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands and Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem
2.1 Intragroup Division in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands
2.2 Intragroup Division in Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem
3. Intergroup Division of the Mexican-American Working-Class and Other American Groups in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands and Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem
3.1 Intergroup Division in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands
3.2 Intergroup Division in Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem
4. Conclusion
5. Works Cited
Objectives and Key Themes
The thesis of this work investigates how the intra- and intergroup divisions of the Mexican-American working-class, as reflected in the literature of Gloria Anzaldúa and Lorna Dee Cervantes, continue to manifest in the 21st century through systemic prejudices and individual coping strategies.
- Analysis of self-identity versus communal labeling in Mexican-American literature.
- Examination of the psychological and physical impacts of borderland existence.
- Exploration of identity suppression and class-consciousness within the working-class.
- Critique of societal exclusion and the role of activist poetry in restoring cultural consciousness.
- Evaluation of how individual narratives provide insight into broader sociological challenges.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Intragroup Division of the Mexican-American Working-Class in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands
In To Live in the Borderlands, Anzaldúa not only describes an intragroup conflict with other members of the Mexican-American community but also a conflict within herself entailed by her efforts to belong to and identify as one specific race because she ought to. As she is partly Indian, Anzaldúa concludes that now “the india in [her], betrayed for 500 years, is no longer speaking to [her]” (216). The sociologist Jessica M. Vasquez explains that especially individuals belonging to the third-generation of Mexican-Americans experience a “flexible ethnicity” which can feel constricting because “[p]ersonal identification choices can hit a wall of racialization” (62-3). Anzaldúa mentions labels that divide her community, for instance, “the mexicanas call you rajetas, that denying the Anglo inside you is as bad as having denied the Indian or Black” (216, original emphasis). In a similar vein, Juan Bruce-Novoa, professor of Chicano culture and literature, describes Chicano poetry as chaotic and states that “[e]ven if the end were not chaos, the passage itself is chaotic, at any time. The loss of self, the abandonment of familiar customs, and insecurity”, all of which can be observed in Anzaldúa’s narrative (9). Anzaldúa is torn between the languages English and Spanish, which she implements literally by switching between these languages (Anzaldúa 216-7). Anzaldúa’s inner conflict reaches a climax when she finds that she would be “a burra, buey, scapegoat, forerunner of a new race” (Anzaldúa 216). This alliteration, which is explicated in two different languages, hints at the continuing and spacious conflict and unease (216). The feistiness of it is a typical element of working-class literature that “witness[es] the conditions of working-class lives, the power of resistance and the necessity of struggle” (Coles and Zandy xxii). Living at the borderlands entangles the poet’s situation because Mexicans, Americans and other ethnicities come together there.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the core concepts of intra- and intergroup division and introduces the literary works of Anzaldúa and Dee Cervantes as the primary focus of the analysis.
2. Intragroup Division of the Mexican-American Working-Class in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands and Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem: The chapter explores the conflicts arising within the Mexican-American community, focusing on identity formation, internal tensions, and the suppression of self.
3. Intergroup Division of the Mexican-American Working-Class and Other American Groups in Anzaldúa’s To Live in the Borderlands and Dee Cervantes’ A Chicano Poem: This section investigates how the authors address external racism, societal exclusion, and political challenges faced by the Mexican-American working-class in broader American society.
4. Conclusion: The summary integrates the findings to confirm the thesis that literature mirrors contemporary social struggles and highlights the necessity for further research into gender-related stereotypes.
5. Works Cited: A comprehensive list of the academic sources, literary texts, and databases used to support the analytical arguments of the essay.
Keywords
Mexican-American, working-class, literature, intragroup, intergroup, identity, Anzaldúa, Dee Cervantes, borderlands, racism, class-consciousness, assimilation, resistance, social exclusion, Chicano poetry
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research paper primarily about?
The paper examines how Mexican-American working-class identity is shaped and challenged by both internal community divisions and external societal forces, as depicted in the poetry of Gloria Anzaldúa and Lorna Dee Cervantes.
What are the central thematic fields?
The main themes include ethnic identity, the sociological concept of working-class life, the impact of border politics, and the role of literature as a vehicle for social resistance and cultural reclamation.
What is the primary research question?
The paper explores how the intra- and intergroup divisions presented in 20th-century poems mirror the challenges and prejudices still faced by Mexican-American proletarians in the 21st century.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs a literary and sociological analysis approach, using close reading of poetic texts combined with sociological theories on class and ethnic identity.
What is covered in the main section of the document?
The main sections analyze the internal conflicts concerning identity and labels (intragroup) and the external struggles against racism and economic marginalization (intergroup) within the two selected poems.
Which words characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as "Chicano," "borderlands," "proletarians," "identity suppression," "class-consciousness," and "racialized assimilation."
How does Anzaldúa specifically describe the intragroup conflict?
Anzaldúa describes the conflict as a struggle between personal identity and external community labels, noting that she often felt caught between her Indian heritage and the expectations of the Mexican-American community.
What is the significance of the "speaking" motif in Dee Cervantes’ work?
For Cervantes, "speaking" acts as a form of cultural, linguistic, and political restoration, representing the right to use Spanish and valid literary heritage to regain power and collective self-worth.
How does the author relate the two poets to the concept of activism?
Both poets are presented as activists because their works do not merely observe social reality but attempt to effect change by challenging colonialist ideals and calling upon their audience to recognize their shared status.
- Citar trabajo
- Lisa Thöne (Autor), 2022, Intra- and Intergroup Division of the Contemporary Mexcican-American Working-Class, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1476987
