Summary Of Response To Executive Order 906 By Sandra Cisneros

The influence of American culture is greatly exemplified through the writings of Dwight Okita and Sandra Cisneros. Okita’s poem shows someone as they experience a new culture, while Cisneros speaks about where your family comes from and what affect that has on personal identity. “Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, and “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros, both express a focus on the concept of American identity and simply what it means to be an American.

“Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, exemplifies how the narrator’s personal life was affected by the second world war. As an Asian-American, the fourteen year old girl’s interactions with her best friend gave her the opportunity to see how American culture differed

The narrator describes her grandmother as simply awful as she prays and continues to practice common Mexican traditions. The girl and her brothers were stuck waiting for their grandmother outside the church, as they aren’t allowed to walk to the plaza, nor are they allowed inside the church. While waiting for their grandmother, an American couple asked to take a picture of them. As they were under the impression that the children were Mexican, she gave her request in Spanish after assuming that was the only language they were familiar with. After taking the picture, the little boy yelled to his siblings in English, much to the woman’s surprise. The children had with the ability to speak both Spanish and English, and referred to themselves as ‘Mericans’ because of it. As they desired to enjoy new things, they were pulled back by their heritage. The speaker tried to hold on to her beliefs and withhold her cultural heritage, while remembering where she came from. This causes a cross between Mexican and American, the ‘old world’ and the ‘new

The general tone of “Response to Executive Order 9066” began optimistic as the narrator showed hope that all of America will soon see they truly have nothing to fear. Although, as the poem went on, a deeper and darker tone was revealed as a friendship was lost. The last words indicated the speaker’s final tone, feeling both hurt and resentment, but also accompanied with a dash of wise irony. The speaker knew that Denise will come to eventually regret her cruel words, but by the time Denise realizes this, she will be far away and it will be too late for her to do anything about it. The story, ‘Mericans,’ takes on a rather hostile and oppressive tone, most notably when describing the church her grandmother attends. As the narrator is stuck between the two worlds, she describes the church to be dark and dingy and the plaza as bright and modern. Her descriptions of the cultural environment showcase her internal struggle between the two worlds, as she tries to find a balance between the