Gloria Anzalduas Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages Immigration is a challenge to nations globally, since individuals are always migrating for diverse reasons like war and famine; as a result, there is an influx of émigré in different parts of the region. Nations have involved a lot of strategies as a mechanism for controlling the number of immigrants crossing their borders illegally to other nations. This essay examines the origin, time of existence, changes, exact time of construction, reasons and effects of the construction of the La Frontera border.
Origin of the Borderlands/La Frontera. Borderlands/ La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldua depicts the basic necessities of a true border, since it describes the constituents of a border into details. It is not depicted as a simple divide, but a complex constituent that makes up a society. Anzaldua describes the border to be an environment where there is social, cultural and psychic interaction that cements the relationship of individuals living in one area. Borderlands were formed because of the need to enlighten individuals of fragmentation and chauvinism amongst cultures. The origin of the Borderlands/La Frontera depicts the efforts put across by individuals in the process of civilization. It is used to show a constant state of transition across generations, since the land is a constituent of the border; therefore every development within the border is corresponding to the social situations of individuals inhabiting the border. The purpose of the book was to address the lack of understanding in individuals to accept those who are culturally or sexually different in the society (Anzaldua & Keating, 174). Era of Existence of the Border The border was built at a time when issues like drug abuse and sexuality were esteemed in the society. The era was characterized by racial politics, since Gloria was constantly criticized for romanticizing her tribe the Chicano’s aboriginal in ways that would see them lose sense of their culture. Critiques of the book judged that the book was forming unhealthy association with the present day Americans because the country was advocating for unity (Anzaldua & Keating, 174). Changes Brought About By the Border throughout History Borderlands have experienced a lot of changes throughout history. Firstly, there is a conventional change in boundaries that were put to govern the social relationship of individuals living from both sides of the border. The border separated individuals from the Mexican and American origins. It had experienced political change that was brought about due to fight for colonization. The original border was as territorial border, and later evolved with time into a political border witnessed by the colonization of the world. Secondly, the shift in the borderlands was also witnessed by the impacts of colonization on the languages of the natives whop started imitating the westerner’s language. Anzaldua reasons that the English speakers were being unreasonable in their border campaigns of clearing out all the existing languages and replace them with theirs. Thirdly, the shift could be associated to the change in ideologies between the inhabitants of both sides. One side of the borders inhabitants was tired of always being caught at the center, and craved for freedom of having two ideologies from both side of the border coexists in harmony (Randall, 20). Lastly, Gloria’s personal life is an example of the change in lives brought about by the construction of the border. She is the first person who migrated from her kindred, since centuries had passed without any of her kindred migrating to the other side of the border. An example is the alteration in opinion and character that women during Gloria’s time acquired. There was the notion that men were the ones who held power, and the position of female gender was insignificant, since their role in the society was to assume their wifely roles or be nuns (Stacy, 100). Time of the Construction of the ...Download file to see next pagesRead More