Mericans By Sandra Cisneros

The authors of both, "Response to Executive Order 9066" and "Mericans" establish a theme that American doesn't mean born in the US. Okita's text, "Response to Executive Order," talks about a fourteen year old girl and how she experiences and connects to American culture on a daily basis despite her Japanese descent. Cisneros' text, "Mericans," focuses on a Spanish family set outside the US and speaks of how "barbaric" America is, yet they feel a connection to it. The thing that both these texts have in common is that they both address the basic theme that place of birth doesn't determine if someone is American or not. Dwight Okita's story, "Response to Executive Order 9066," is told from the perspective of a fourteen-year old girl of Japanese descent whom lives in America. She is being affected by the Executive Order 9066 that states that, "All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers." In the text the girl is demonstrating how her daily life in America means she is American. It is showing that even though she is of Japanese descent she is accustomed to American culture and ways because she was raised there.
In the text, "Mericans" by Sandra Cisneros, there is an old grandmother whom is referred to as "the awful grandmother." This grandmother speaks of America and how terrible and "barbaric" it is.
The grandmother also prays for her family and grandchildren. The text takes place in a Spanish place outside the US. Tourists, or Americans, have come to visit and engage with the children speaking basic Spanish trying to make sure they understand. When one of the boys speaks English, the Americans are taken a-back, exclaiming, "But you speak English!" The brother responds with "Yeah, we're Mericans." This shows that despite living outside of America and speaking another language he still felt he was an
American. Both of the excerpts address the common theme that the birth place of someone does not determine if they are American or not. They are saying that it is their culture, how they act and the ideas they are accustomed to that makes someone American or not. This is backed by a few lines in Okita's text, including, "If it helps any, I will tell you I have always felt funny using chopsticks and my favorite food is hot dogs." The reason this line is included is to show that this girl feels American and no connection to her Japanese culture. In conclusion, both texts' address the theme that culture and ideas they are accustomed to, to determine if someone is American or not. Okita's text includes a fourteen-year old girl who feels connected to her American culture and not her Japanese descent. Cisneros' text also backs the idea that American is not where you are born but what you accept as your way of life.