Analysis Of Gloria Anzaldua's Poem Borderlands

CRA: Anzaldua Borderlands

In her poem “Borderlands,” Gloria Anzaldua strategically exposes readers to the true form of the Borderlands region as she conveys the internal incongruity that is rife with this state. As she characterizes the nature of the Borderlands, extending the idea of the Borderlands from a geographical region to an extensive social phenomenon, Anzaldua emulates an experience that is shared by many; conquered by fear.

Anzaldua cogently employs the use of distinct structural elements within her poem as a form of illustrative depiction in order to express to readers the strenuous relationship between the inhabitants and their environment. The essence of this relationship is expressed through the internal conflict, both within

By doing this, the reader calls to attention subordinate nature of the inhabitants to the authority of the Borderlands. Moreover, readers can see the effects that the Borderlands has on the individual clearly listed below the first line. This scheme creates a cause-effect pair allowing for one to view these effects as a clear result of the Borderlands condition. In addition to this, the author makes use of enjambment to offer contrasting ideas that simultaneously exist within the mind of the inhabitants. As one can see in the first stanza, the inhabitants “are neither bispana india negra española / ni gabacha, eres mestiza, mulata, half-breed” (2-3). Anzaldua intentionally omits punctuation in this case to force readers move on to the next line despite a desire to pause; thus, the separate lines encounter a greater purpose. In effect, the author is able to fabricate a competing scenario between the distinct lines of the poem, as each line competes for the reader’s attention, so do the various sources of the inhabitant’s make-up. In doing this, author is able to mirror the structure of the poem with the internal state of the Borderland

This is notably true regarding the authors use of personification to stimulate an emotional reaction towards the Borderlands. This is evidenced by how the “wind steals your voice” (13) and the “mill with razor white teeth wants to shred off / your olive-red skin.” (36-37) In essence, the Borderlands assumes the role of an identity thief, a malignant force whose only goal is to destroy one’s own self-understanding. Through this persistent assault, the Borderlands leaves one in a state of confusion where one is “at home, a stranger,” (30). As a result of this, readers are able to understand the Borderlands to be an opposing force to its inhabitants. Through this characterization, the author suggests that the inhabitants are victims of the Borderlands, not only in a geographical sense, but more notably mental. The intention of the Borderlands is to infect the inhabitant so as to allow the inhabitant to bear negative symptoms regardless of physical departure. With this, the Borderlands inhabits the inhabitant. In addition to personifying the region to depict the nature of the Borderland-inhabitant relationship, the author strategically embeds various languages and elements of culture to highlight the incongruity that inhabitants bear under the conditions of the lands. For example, the