How Does The Speaker Dehumanize Graciella '?

In Janice Mirikitani’s poem “Graciella,” the speaker dehumanizes Graciella by generalizing her and her people, comparing her and her son to animals, and reducing her down to the work that her body does. Referring to Graciella giving birth, the man under the elm comments that “they push them out like rabbits” (36). Given that Graciella is a form of the name Grace mostly used by Latin Americans and that Graciella is said to be “as good as a dozen ********,” which is a slur for illegal Latin American immigrants, it is probable that this “they” refers to Latin Americans (25). This example of diction both reduces Graciella’s individuality and stereotypes the behavior of all Latin Americans. The speaker also describes birth with the verb “push” which

The speaker further dehumanizes Graciella by also comparing her son to an animal. When her son dies due to the pesticides leaching into her blood, “he died writhing like a hooked worm” (48). Worms are dirty, slimy, simple minded creatures that are often viewed as disgusting and by comparing his death to the impaling of a worm the speaker both illustrates his suffering and minimizes the importance of the child. Apart from generalizing her and comparing her to animals, the speaker further objectifies Graciella with specific diction choices when describing her. The speaker describes her only in terms of her work and her body. The first stanza introduces her in terms of her body performing work as the speaker says, “Graciella’s arms, / big like hammocks / swaying mounds of work” (1-3). The following four stanzas that focus on her begin with “From her body” twice, “Into her Body,” and “She did not work” (12, 29, 38, 49). Graciella as a person separate from her body or work is never directly

As a worker who seemingly has no other options she must get paid in order to live and keep her family alive. Paradoxically, in order to get paid she has to sacrifice everything and value work above all else, even her own child. When she is in the field harvesting lettuce, “her big arms cradled the work, her hands like a weaver, threading the dirt to a rich, dark rug” (16-20). She treats her work as if it is a child. She specifically cradles her work, which is verbiage typically reserved for holding a child. Furthermore, the words “weaver,” “threading,” and “rug” seem out of place. She is working in a field, however, these words are typically seen in a domestic setting. It is clear that Graciella is as caring to the field as one would be to their household or family. This care and affection toward her work are contrasted with the lack of affection or attention she pays to her child. “From her body / she pushed a child” (29-30). “Pushed” is featured once again and is both sterile and nonchalant. This important moment and painfully emotional time of giving birth is described with no emotion. This act lacks care. To further demonstrate this lack of care “she doesn't miss a day” of work (35). Although seemingly she doesn’t have a choice, she is notably choosing work over caring for her child. Work is the center of