Sandra Cisnero's Short Story 'No Speak English'

Otherization Practice Essay: “No Speak English”

In Sandra Cisnero’s short story “No Speak English”, a woman called Mamacita struggles with the language barrier and certain social expectations after her immigration to the United States. The otherization she faces can be defined as the process where someone is treated as an outsider from a dominant group’s norm, thus indicating that if someone draws a line between someone’s personal ambitions and society’s expectations, otherization will occur. This is because when someone's differences are compared to unrealistic standards, the person can be pushed away and seen as an outsider.

Initially, the author uses diction in order to show a shift in Mamacita’s identity overtime.

Esperanza says “Whatever her reasons, whether she is fat, or can't climb the stairs, or is afraid of English, she won't come down” (Cisneros 2). Specifically, the word “afraid” directly relates to how otherization has influenced Mamacita's identity. The concept of fear suggests that she is protective of her differences since she has been otherized because of them. Her insecurities, then, cause her to find refuge inside because she feels safer isolated than outside where people judge her. Looking further, Mamacita’s personal ambitions start to become more evident as the text shifts towards her relationship with her son. When she cries “no speak English...to the child who is singing in the language that sounds like tin, no speak English, no speak English”, the reader can pick up the keyword “no” that demonstrates the magnitude of her pain (2). If she is so deeply affected by her child speaking English, it can be assumed that her underlying desire is for her child to learn the language and culture of her home. Thus, it becomes clear that Mamacita’s otherization occurred when society drew a line between her