Question

Analyze how stereotypes and social expectations are portrayed in "i want to be Miss America"

Answer 1

In this story stereotypes shape in difference between girls’  from the Dominican Republic and classic American girls appearance. Dominican girls are impressed by American beauty show, which demands special type of exterior including blonde hair, blue eyes, leggy figures and the peaches and cream skin. But Dominican not only need to change them from the outside in order to be closer to their dream, they also need to solve their main problem that can delay their success, self-perception indeed. In place where they grew up they were just supposed to be good wives whereas American girls have freedom.

Answer 2

In “I want to be Miss America”, stereotypes and social expectations became Julia and her sister’s guide to accepting their real existence in a country that hasn’t fully accepted them yet. They wanted to become like the classic American girls they see in the annual Miss America contest. They longed to look and become those girls they see on their television, to have the freedom they’re experiencing. To them, becoming and looking like one is a dream come true. Being a Dominican Republic girl, they’re expected to be different than the American girls they look up to.