Whart Is Your Borderland
14 September 2012
What is your Borderland?
What is your borderland? Essentially that is the question one ask themselves when reading Gloria Anzald’s “To live in the borderlands means you.” The brushstroke is broad, but Ms. Anzald brings it into focus with this poem. This piece of artwork brings awareness to the ethnic, social and cultural movement that was coming abreast during that era.
During the 1980’s, immidtation and ethnic diversity was central characters of the American experience. It was during this time, the ethnic mixture of the united states began to increasingly vary. Ms. Azalda brings this point to our attention in the stanza, “To live in the Borderlamds means you are neither hispana india negra espanola ni gabacha, eres mestizo, mulata, half- breed caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races on your back not knowing which side to turn to, run from.” She is displaying this giant melting pot that happens to be one individual. She is informing those that can relate, that if not foreign to feel like you don’t belong, I too, have those same feelings. Om the same breath, she is also telling the illinformed,”Hey, when you point us out racially, this is how we feel. We have the world on our backs, and don’t need your ridicule. Ms. A is screaming this very sentiment throught this entire piece. Although, this artwork has a hostile undertone, I do feel the pride she has for her mixed heritage. This shown, by the way she alternates her languate throughout it. She wants one to know that you don’t have to be of any particular decent to understand where Im coming from, “my borderlands means you.”(LC1109) This is for us all.
“Cuando vives en la frontera people walk through you, the wind steals your voice, you’re a burra, buey, scapegoat, forerunner of a new race, half and half-bothe woman and man, neither- a new gender.” A very profound stanza. If we review this closely, she is relating the the same sex culture. During this
What is your Borderland?
What is your borderland? Essentially that is the question one ask themselves when reading Gloria Anzald’s “To live in the borderlands means you.” The brushstroke is broad, but Ms. Anzald brings it into focus with this poem. This piece of artwork brings awareness to the ethnic, social and cultural movement that was coming abreast during that era.
During the 1980’s, immidtation and ethnic diversity was central characters of the American experience. It was during this time, the ethnic mixture of the united states began to increasingly vary. Ms. Azalda brings this point to our attention in the stanza, “To live in the Borderlamds means you are neither hispana india negra espanola ni gabacha, eres mestizo, mulata, half- breed caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races on your back not knowing which side to turn to, run from.” She is displaying this giant melting pot that happens to be one individual. She is informing those that can relate, that if not foreign to feel like you don’t belong, I too, have those same feelings. Om the same breath, she is also telling the illinformed,”Hey, when you point us out racially, this is how we feel. We have the world on our backs, and don’t need your ridicule. Ms. A is screaming this very sentiment throught this entire piece. Although, this artwork has a hostile undertone, I do feel the pride she has for her mixed heritage. This shown, by the way she alternates her languate throughout it. She wants one to know that you don’t have to be of any particular decent to understand where Im coming from, “my borderlands means you.”(LC1109) This is for us all.
“Cuando vives en la frontera people walk through you, the wind steals your voice, you’re a burra, buey, scapegoat, forerunner of a new race, half and half-bothe woman and man, neither- a new gender.” A very profound stanza. If we review this closely, she is relating the the same sex culture. During this
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