Question

Read the paragraph from a student’s literary essay comparing two different works. (1) Sandra Cisneros’s “Mericans” is about a young American girl of Mexican descent who is struggling to find her own cultural identity. (2) Cisneros illustrates this through a number of images and ideas. (3) For example, the speaker, Micaela, calls her grandmother “awful,” and seems to resent the woman’s strict views and religious ideals. (4) The speaker also mentions how she and her brother emulate characters from popular American television programs when they play make-believe. (5) Lastly, she describes physically standing outside her family’s church, an act that symbolizes the fact that she feels like an outsider to Mexican culture. (6) Although Micaela is of Mexican descent, she seems to feel a stronger connection to the United States. This paragraph supports the idea that Micaela

Answer 1

Does not feel welcome in American Society or her own Hispanic Society. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Answer:

Wishes her heritage was different because she has difficulty relating to her grandmother.

Explanation:

Based on the excerpt from the essay "Mexicans" by Sandra Cisneros, it can be inferred that the speaker/ protagonist Micaela, is finding it hard to actually come to terms with the Mexican heritage of her grandmother. She feels more like an outsider, even though she is also from the same Mexican blood. Her grandmother's Mexican identity seems different from the Mexican identity she was used to. The passage seems to support the idea that Micaela wishes her heritage was different because she has difficulty relating to her grandmother.