Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, chapter seven - Essay Example

Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza, chapter seven In reference to Latin America, The Oxford Dictionary defines “Mestiza” as a “woman having mixed origin, and especially an offspring from American Indian and Spanish.” Throughout her writing Anzaldua tries to define a “New Mestiza” by examining her in the context of her culture, language and identity. In the final chapter of the first section of this book, Anzaldua offers insights into her culture, ethnic orientation and race.

She opens her discussions by describing a ‘cosmic race’ as one that is made of several races, alluding that they are a product of several races and ethnicities.[Anz99] In her arguments, Anzaldua suggest that for one to have freedom of one’s self, then one has to change the ways of thinking, from being narrow minded and less focused towards having multiple-choice of thoughts more like working with the whole perspective and divergent thinking. (101) In this section, Anzaldua suggests that being a “New Mestiza” requires constant learning and adapting to a variety of cultures.

As she ends the chapter, Anzaldua is optimistic that once again her people will gain real ethnic identity they once enjoyed. However, one finds it difficult to clearly grasp her concept of ‘cosmic race’ since one struggles to create a harmony within their self when having different ethnic backgrounds all leading to different pathways. Moreover, how can one have two ideas of divergent thinking alongside each other and still all work in harmony? Besides, by virtue of being a product of various ethnic ties, how can one day a person have a real ethnic identity again?

Answer 1: In this context, Anzaldua writes so powerfully concerning male violence against women in her society. The “Machismo” she describes in this context describes a male with physical strength, quite aggressive and has no emotional response. In her opinion, she describes the “Machismo” in the context of US racism; while it is true that she puts her words so powerful concerning the violence, but it can be suggested that she is not excusing it. She wants readers to understand the patriarchal society which the “Machismo” represent.

Answer 2: Poetic AnalysisUna lucha de fronteras/ A struggle of BordersBecause I, a Mestiza,Continually walk out of one cultureAnd into another,Because I am in all cultures at the same time,Alma entre dos mundos, tres, cualroEstoy norteada por todas las voces que me bablanSimultaneamente[Anz99]In the above poem, the writer is referring to a person caught in different cultural orientations, or different worlds. In her reference, Anzaldua uses the word “Mestiza” to symbolize this being and said to suffer from cultural identity and her situation forces her to be in all cultures at the same, Simultaneamente,[Anz99] something which she finds quite difficult.

Works citedAnz99: , (Anzaldúa), Anz99: , (Anzaldúa 99), Anz99: , (7),