Overall Class Impression

I absolutely loved this class, and the connection I felt to it. I never imagined that my academic work could hit so close to home, and that I would somehow find many like me. Not only did this class open new perspectives for me in terms of my own culture, but it also opened my eyes to the struggles of other Latino nationalities such as Puerto Ricans, Cubans or Ecuadorians. I loved the assigned readings and the set-up of the journals and midterms. The class discussions from this class were highlights of my day, and I couldn't be happier with the amount of challenges my classmates presented on a class to class basis. I believe that Latino literature will take a turn in the future and that the challenges will be somewhat different, and possibly even more positive, but I also believe that in order to gain an understanding of that, we will need to know how it all started as well. I now share a compassion and a knowledge that I am not alone, and that I too can help others feel connected to the Latino culture.

Journal Prompt #11

"Write about a norm or ideal pertaining to physical appearance in the culture in which you belong. Do you conform or attempt to conform to this norm or ideal? Why? Are you at all familiar with the way this norm or ideal is perceived in cultures outside of your own? How is it different? Has your physical appearance ever been interpreted differently by a member of another culture or group than it is perceived in your own culture?"

I think a norm becomes a norm through the most popularized consistency a culture has. In the Mexican culture for instance, there is the traditional look that is rather outdated but is identifiable enough to be labeled as "Mexican. This look mostly persists of hair up and in ribbons, along with a flowy, flowery dress. Of course if one goes to Mexico, most of the attire will appear quite similar to American wear. Stereotypical features include dark skin, hair and eyes, small eyes, a round nose and most likely a short stature.

I don't believe that I conform to this ideal, mostly because not only is it outdated in Mexico, but I also live in Southern California. I think that for some cultures outside my own, a lot of the beauty hailed from Mexico is praised, yet I know that many are also threatened by anything different than their norm. It's different when a society views people as something less than human beings simply because they look different or have different customs. It's funny how much two prideful men have in common who derive from two completely different places; there's the patriotic American man and the prideful Mexican man that actually have plenty in common if they took their skin off and spoke the same language.

My physical appearance get completely interpreted differently by many groups of people, and it's strange how it doesn't even vary from culture to culture as much as it varies from household to household. There are general interpretations though, or at least perceptions I have of interpretations I've made. In Mexico, for instance, I've never felt like I've fit in when I've visited. I'm not tall, but I'm definitely not as short as most of the women there. My nose is long and slender, as opposed to their round one, and my eyes are a bit bigger. I've felt like a foreigner there, as well as the east side of the United States (which is quite a whole other story). In these places, along with some parts of California, I just felt like my appearance was the only level they wanted to associate me with, as if there were no other depths to my character besides my physical features. On the other hand, in places such as Southern California, where there is a true melting pot of varying backgrounds, I feel accepted and at home. Italy is also a place where I didn't feel as if I was being prejudged based on my physical appearance, especially regarding the fact that they love to tan like there's no tomorrow and woman's noses feel closer to my nose's kin like no other noses do! It seems silly, but it is nice to be among people who appreciate the individual instead of a stereotype, even if that stereotype to that particular culture is a good one.

Journal #10

"Write about the social contract as you see it. What is your responsibility to your community/communities? What is its responsibility to you? Think about the title "Neighbors". What do you associate with that word? Do the characters in the story reflect your understanding of "neighbor"? What about social contracts in IBN?"

I believe that people should always strive to help those around them at all times. Not when it's solely convenient or beneficial either; an act of selfless kindness is what should really be striven for. Unfortunately, not everyone is on the same page at the same time so this process oftentimes becomes tedious and is soon neglected. I believe that a person's responsibility to their community depends on what they have to offer that would enhance the people and surroundings. For me, for instance, I hope to one day become an English teacher and help out my community that way. My way of giving back will be to teach and educate the future leaders of my community, whom someday, may give back to either myself or others around them. In the meantime, my responsibility right now is to be kind to others and to educate myself so that one day I may play a larger role within my community.
The word "neighbors" associates itself with mostly positive meanings that if somewhat tarnished, is only so because of bad experiences with real life next-door neighbors. For the most part, the word "neighbor" means helpful and friendly, as well as someone who I should serve. Perhaps the latter definition connects itself that way, because of the relevance to my religion. A neighbor should be someone whom we love. The characters in the story do not associate themselves with my definition of the word, since they aren't very familiar with one another. They care about taking care of themselves, but not each other. Even though Doña Aura and Don Fierro share close quarters, they still do not share the familiarity that I personally associate with the word "neighbor".
In Into the Beautiful North, the characters, although not neighbors in the modern sense of the word, share a relevance with each other which leads to kindness and care towards one another. The main characters show their support to one another, and help each other through the hard times.

Journal #9

"Read through Lewis Coser's introduction to Durkheim's view of the individual in society. Please come up with one "how" question and one "why" question that connects what you learned about Durkheim to the literature."

Emile Durkheim

•  How do Durkheim's ideas on society and the individual connect with  the theme of "climbing the social ladder" seen throughout the unit of The Urban World?
• Why do the individuals throughout the Urban World unit identify themselves so much with the definition society puts among them? Does Durkheim's social contract regarding limitations, as well as deregulation, further emphasize the idea that individuals within the Latin American urban world must endure being put in a box of stereotypes by the those around them?

Journal #8

"Write about a moment when you became aware that you had become/were becoming an adult? How old were you? How did it make you feel? What does it mean to come of age?"

I hadn't truly felt like an adult until this last year. I think that before this year I had always liked to think I was grown-up, but now I actually think it has happened... but, who knows, maybe in 2 years or so I'll say the same thing about right now. Nevertheless, this year has made me more responsible for myself than ever before. I believe it began when I realized that if I wanted to achieve my dreams, it'd be up to me and only me, to accomplish the tasks needed to get there. Being the runt of the family with two older sisters and a brother, I've always had everyone's support, which to be honest, turns into a bad thing when trying to master total responsibility. Support is great, and I would never deny my family's love, but I really did know how much of a thick mattress I had to fall on if I ever failed. The support and that extra cushion I've felt all my life by no means is something negative in my life, it was more so turned into that by me and my mentality that I saw little need to truly mature. I graduated high school in 2007 with honors, and got accepted into various universities. I attended Cal Poly Pomona for two semesters on account that it was the closest and cheapest decision. The umbrella that my family once spread over me, in terms of discipline and transportation, left me with new responsibilities that I had to learn how to master on my own, and needless to say, that didn't turn out so good. Procrastination arose,  my attendance was lacking, and my grades plummeted. I decided to go to Citrus College for the summer instead, and passed merely one class. Semester after semester, classes were dropped or I simply couldn't get classes at all. I finally came here, to Chaffey College for the spring term of 2011, and was able to get 5 classes. I thought I was ready to handle the pressure of taking so many classes, and I wasn't. I was left at the end of the semester with only 3 passing grades, and a feeling that could only be helped if I changed my time management skills and perspectives on schooling. Over the summer I watched Good Will Hunting, and I can honestly say that no other movie has changed my own personal life as much as that one did. I started to revise the opinions I had about myself. I've always been told that I'm intelligent, but lazy- that's precisely where I started. I dug into myself and found my will to educate myself and the passion I've always had to educate others. Good Will Hunting lit the embers I had left in me; "I could do this" I keep telling myself. My friend showed me the Will Smith video shown below, and that is the life lesson I've applied with school. I do one day at a time, and I try to do it right instead of stressing out about the whole picture. As this semester has passed by, I've been getting the grades that reflect my work and effort. I was in an 8 week class that required a lot of essays and research papers, and I received the most beautiful, hard-earned "A" I've ever seen throughout my college years. I'm starting to gain confidence in myself again, and thus it's made me count on my own responsibility more and more. I am thankful for my family's support, but I've finally realized that relying on simply their support will not make me the teacher I someday I want to be; I need to be the main contributor to my future. The series of said events and my development this past semester is what's made me an adult. To me, being an adult means realizing the importance of relying on oneself, as well as the importance of others being able to rely on you.

Journal Prompt #7: Greguerías

"Greguerías- a short, witty, statement in which an author expresses a deep or philosophical truth in an original way."

• Borders are in the mind.

• Accepting everyone means accepting oneself. 

• Earth is an atom of the Universe.

• The coexistence of evolution and God makes Adam and Eve the apes of mankind.

• Music is a door to souls.

• Youtube, the eye's passport to the world. 

Journal Prompt #6

"Consider invisibility. How and why do things/people become invisible? Is invisibility ever advantageous or desirable? When?"

Invisibility, in terms of a society, comes from either fear or suppression. Either one can makes oneself invisible because of the fear of being noticed, or invisibility may derive from the indifference or suppression given from one group of people to another. In the case of Latinos, both reasons contribute to their own instances of invisibility. Immigration plays a huge role on whether a person feels invisible or not; being in another country illegally and being looked down upon because of it, causes a person to want to be invisible. The fear of getting caught for being in another country illegally definitely makes a person be intentionally invisible. The other instance of invisibility is when a society is indifferent towards or suppresses a group of people, in this case, Latinos. People hold a lot of power within the direction of their attention and how they use that attention. When Americans treat an immigrant with little care or respect, not only do racial problems still stand, but it makes the immigrants needs seem less important, primarily because the people who do hold more power in the country are doing nothing to help them. It is a cause and effect both ways, because for example,  if an illegal immigrant works as a construction worker for an Anglo-American man, the worker fears being deported so he does his job and does not protest, and the man suppresses or doesn't give much thought to the worker. It is a vicious cycle that is only broken once the Latino fights for his visibility, his voice. In the illegal immigrant's situation, it is desirable and advantageous to be invisible because the last thing they want is to be noticed and get deported. For the Latino who is a citizen or has residency, invisibility is not desirable or advantageous at all, because they would not be heard and would have difficulty obtaining success in this country.

Journal Prompt #5

"Our readings today focused on perceptions, particularly on Latino workers. Richard Rodriguez writes about how Americans are defined by their work. In what way are Latinos defined by their work both in the texts that we read for today and in society in general? Does American society tend to have stereotypical notions of the kinds of work Latinos do? If so, do those stereotypes about work influence broader perceptions of Latinos and Latino culture? Should perceptions change? Can they change, and if so, how?"

Latinos are defined by their work because of the needs they have, not by their true abilities. I think many Americans believe that because a person is Mexican, they're naturally good at picking fruits or cleaning houses. They only ever got that good, if ever the case, because that was all they were allowed to do. Therefore, since many Latinos didn't have very many choices regarding their jobs, they grew into stereotypes, almost forcefully. It is no one's fault in the present-time these stereotypes have become to be what they are; Americans have stereotypical notions because of a history embellished with suppression. If I'm understanding the question correctly about the influence of broader perceptions, I don't think these stereotypes influence broader perceptions, rather I think they limit Americans' view on Latinos and Latino culture. There is so much more to any type of people than the work they do, whether that is by choice or need. Perceptions should definitely change, as I believe they already are with the more open-minded Americans. People get stuck in a way of thinking and it can become difficult to change a way a generation thinks about things, which makes the work all the more harder for people trying to break the stereotypes. Oftentimes the Latino youth believe they must become that stereotype because that is their destiny or because they feel as if society doesn't expect much more from them. This kind of thinking leaves few choices for them which is to rebel against everybody, live up to the stereotype, or with enough luck and support, they can really break free and live up to their own dreams instead of a limited stereotype.

Journal Prompt #4

"In what ways do you think this story ("La Promesa") captures the idea of 'lost worlds'?"

Guy Garcia's "La Promesa" captures the idea of "lost worlds", by having Tom Cardona, the main character, dive into not only a lost physical world, but also a lost supernatural world. Tom Cardona not only did not have much knowledge about his ancestry, he also avoided anything having to do with Mexican culture. He lived in his happy American life, and paid little to no attention to his grandmother Estella. Estella wanted Tom to find her nanny, Blanca Morrell, who lived in Mexico. He wasn't persuaded until Estella died and left him $30,000 dollars in order to fulfill her wishes. As he journeyed his way through Mexico, he became exposed to his lost country. When he learned the truth about his real grandmother, Blanca Morrell, he became exposed to his lost roots. Not only had he lost his actual grandmother in the process of being raised, but he also lost his past, which he came to find in the end. There is a certain realization that we cannot simply turn away from the past and move forward. We must understand our past, in order to live a sound future. Another "lost world" that was captured in "La Promesa" was the supernatural, which is deeply rooted in the Mexican culture. The idea of the dead and how they are among us even after they're gone was a concept that Tom never thought of as he went about his daily life in the U.S.
Will Tom carry this particular lost world with him back to the U.S.? I believe that although his journey was definitely life-changing and rather shocking, he probably won't know how to incorporate "the supernatural" in a country where it isn't as prevalent.



Journal Prompt #3

"Both stories we read today deal with points of no return; is there a place that you feel you can't return to? At what point did you realize you couldn't return?"

Although I reached a "point of no return" differently than the main characters in Sandra Cisneros' "One Holy Night" and Antonio Farias' "Red Serpent Ceviche", the sense of loss was felt the same by the three of us. My point of no return arises in the sense of a lost childhood. To be honest, my point of no return seems in no way as life-changing as the main characters of the stories we read today. My experience, although somewhat depressing, may be reversed if only for a temporary amount of time.

It happened over the course of the last two summers, in addition to the fact that I turned 21 last year in September 2010. The first incident happened in June 2010 when Toy Story 3 was released. Andy, the owner of the toys in the movie, gives up his toys in the end to a young toddler girl. That scene really reached a sense of that loss for me, and of course, I teared up. The realization that I had grown up with these characters since I was barely a six-year-old, and who, were all of a sudden, moving onto a younger generation made me realize the acceptance that needed to take place on my part: that I was growing up and that the children with toys and who run around my cul-de-sac were now the children, and not me. The idea of leaving childhood behind me as a child was always so distant, but at the same time made me feel grown-up. As a young adult, it's turned into both responsibility and fear of what may come. The second incident happened this last summer, July 2011, when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two came out. Having read all seven books, discussed characters with friends and going to all the movie premieres, one can't help to grow an attachment to the story, especially the characters themselves. For my generation, one can state almost certainly that we literally grew up with the main characters. Their fears were our fears, their laughs were our laughs, and the world watched and cheered for Harry as the franchise came to an end. My sadness over the end of it all, was actually not because there was no more Harry Potter, it was the idea that the real actors were going to be moving on, and so would I. I felt like the last movie was my last hurrah as child, and as a matter-of-fact, it has been. Since then I have let go of a lot of childish things and have tried adapting to a "young adult" mindset. My goals have become more mature, not to mention realistic.

The reason why I mentioned before that I feel like my point of a return is less drastic, is because I can choose to be a kid at heart at times if I'd like. I know that being a child isn't something I can obtain permanently anymore though; I can never own childhood in that proper way of being an actual 2 to 17 year old. The parallel is just that: the characters from the stories have a future that will never be the same, as do I.

Poetry Journal: "The Lost Worlds"

There is a general theme of "lost worlds" among these poems; a loss of culture, land, people, spirituality, and even food. In the poems, "Roots" and "Dust-Bowl Memory", by Jimmy Baca, there is a sense of loss through land. "Roots" deals with the loss of land, which was primarily taken away from the narrator and his family. He makes the connection between his father and a cottonwood tree, which signifies the mistreatment both have gone through, yet at the same time both will always have roots in that land. "Dust-Bowl Memory" deals with the loss of a time, both bad and good. It is a lost world that recalls an unbiased opinion of someone who appreciated the Mexican people's contribution to crops. "African Things" by Victor Hernández Cruz, deals with a lost culture; an African background. I believe that the use of the word "things" is used, because the poet doesn't know much about these "african things", but makes a good point that his grandmother does. This indicates that the lost culture can still be found within his grandmother, and the narrator craves to know more.

Diane de Anda's poem, "Abuelas", is interesting because it signifies the loss of a generation; not only is there a loss of generation, but also a loss of those stories, sayings (dichos) and life lessons. The last word, "APAGADO", deeply affects the poem as it signifies the death of de Anda's real grandmother, but she also relates it with the light of that generation and how it is now "turned off".

In "Finding Home", a poem written by Carolina Hospital, the narrator explores the loss of landscape. Her home is missed, but she is also getting used to America. The title itslef gives way to the idea that she is lost between two worlds, two homes.

Magdelena Gomez's "Mami", is about the relationship the narrator has with her mother. The constant code-switching embelishes the poem and gives the reader a visual of the existence of the mother that still exists within the narrator. "Curandera" by Pat Mora, pays homage to the "woman healer of latin america". It introduces the reader to the history of a curandera, which then guides us through her daily routine. The third stanza describes the curandera's talents, inspiration and reputation amongst the people. Serenity befalls the fourth stanza as the poem walks us through the curandera's nightly routine. Finally the fifth stanza, leaves the reader with the thought that she is one with earth, and that she follows the same routine as her surroundings.

Journal Prompt #2

"Our readings today dealt with many themes that most of us can relate to on some level: the feeling of being an outsider, especially an outsider in a place we had hoped or believed we might fit in; the search for identity through tracing one's roots or revisiting the past; the way immigration affects the generations of a family. Please choose one theme from our readings today.

In other words. could you relate to anything we have read?"

The closest connection I felt with our readings today was with with Rudolfo Anaya's "In Search of Epifano". The idea of searching for identity through revisiting the past resonates most with me. Growing up as a child, I was never one to look back and ask questions about the past, but I feel that the older I get, the more curious I am about where I come from. I often wish my roots could be traced via ancestry.com, but I know how impossible it must be to have my Mexican past, Indian or Spanish, archived in the internet. The best one can do is ask the eldest of the family, and even still, I feel like I often get a faded picture of what once was. The connection that the main character of "In Search for Epifano" had with her great-grandfather, Epifano, is something I believe we all wish we could have with our past, well, at least those of us who enjoy learning about our roots. One might ask oneself how is it that one's identity can be found through the exploration of our roots? I used to think that my identity would be found upon the future discoveries I would make along the course of my life, but how can one forget about the links that have made us who we are today? I like to think now that I can choose to take a bit of both- the future and the past. The past, I feel, makes one have a strong base of self-knowledge, while the future, provides a strong sense of direction.

"Go North, Young Man" Reading Journal

The trouble I have with Richard Rodriguez's "Go North, Young Man" is that I understand the essay itself, but not the ultimate message he's trying to get across. I get it when he writes that Mexicans will always be here and that Mexicans in Mexico view this abandonment as unforgivable. I get that "Americans" are afraid of the nation becoming "Mexican". I just don't get to whom he is referring to in the title. The American young man who wants to avoid Mexicans? Or the Mexican young man who wants a better life in the U.S.? I assume it could be both; both young men could be happy if they just migrate elsewhere, whether that's Vancouver, Alaska, or Southern California. With immigration being the main theme of his essay, there is a general feeling of loss, betrayal, ownership. Loss of land that we believe is ours, or loss of people and culture. Feelings of betrayal arise when one leaves a country, or when one betrays our own upbringing. Finally there is a sense of ownership that derives from a sense of power. The power that Spaniards and Mexicans once had over the U.S.. The power that the U.S. had when she obtained the Southwest. The power that the U.S. citizen feels he's now losing over the new-found power which Mexicans are re-experiencing.

"The Biggest City in the World" Reading Journal

Daniel Chacón's, "The Biggest City in the World" was very ambiguous to me in the sense that I feel like the author was trying to say  that Harvey Gomez became a Mexican at the end, but I don't feel like he did. In my opinion, there was a sense of dislocation within Harvey. He went to Mexico and was studying Mexican history, but I believe he more so did because he felt like he had to, not wanted to. I saw Harvey as very uptight with the real Mexican culture, because when it came down to him actually interacting with Mexicans, he seemed very pretentious and not willing to really embrace Mexico. The parallel is seen with Professor Rogstart and his true knowledge and love for the people and the culture. Although he was white, he didn't mind riding the metro or eating true Mexican food. To me, Harvey came off as a student who wanted to impress his Professor and who was ultimately afraid of his own past heritage. Even so, at the very end  when the taxi driver calls him  "Mexican", my honest interpretation is that Harvey only decided this because he had guilt and not true desire to truly connect with his people.

"In Search of Epifano" Reading Journal

Rudolfo Anaya writes about a woman in search of her identity, her roots. She's reached old age and has decided to go down to Mexico in search of her great-grandfather with whom she feels a strong connection. Her fulfillment is not necessarily with the "Mexican" culture per-say, but more with her Native ancestry. The title, "In Search of Epifano", is ironic, because Epifano is both her great-grandfather's name, as well as her ultimate epiphany- which is "epifano" in Spanish. Her epiphany is that through this connection of her past, she has come to find fulfillment at last- as if it were the missing link in her own soul.

"Our America" Reading Journal

José Martí's Our America shows the perspective of an educated and humanly compassionate Latino. He understands that although America has acted superior because of their education or politics, that the feeling of inferiority is ultimately up to Latinos to keep or not. Race is a perception depending on on how everyone views it. Not realizing that we are all equal will be the cause of endless struggles amongst America and neighboring countries.
I enjoyed reading an article written so long ago that is still so pertinent to current days. Th ideas people have of separation among one another depending on a variety of factors, is still a very prominent subject today. 

"The Squatter and the Don" Reading Journal

 

• Squatter: Someone who settles on land under government regulation in order to acquire title. (Dictionary.com)

The excerpt from The Squatter and the Don, written by Maria Ruiz de Burton, explored the idea of a U.S. citizen who opposed taking land away from someone else. Mrs. Darrell advises her husband Mr. Darrell, "the squatter", to think wisely before taking land away from someone who has done them no harm. While Mrs. Darrell has a compassionate soul, Mr. Darrell has a much proud persona as he states that any American land belongs to only U.S. citizens, because they "pay the government price for it". This is an interesting point of view, because one one hand, the reader is introduced to an American citizen who believes that it is his right to reside in U.S. land, no matter if others are already there. On the other hand, there is the advice of his wife, who is also an American citizen, and believes in being thoughtful and compassionate. This side is a point of view that is not seen very often in literature, or in real-life. As a Mexican-American myself, I tend to  not realize that that side exists.

Identity Journal Prompt #1

What cultural forces have shaped it?

• My identity has been shaped by both my family and their traditions as well as by the American influence around me. My family is Mexican, and although I believe we are not the stereotypical "culturally" Mexican family, we definitely differ from American families I've been around my whole life. There's the part of me that has been shaped by enchiladas, mariachi, and novelas, and the rest by hot dogs, MTV, and sitcoms.

With what group or groups do you identify? Why?

• I tend to identify with two kinds of groups. The Latinos whom, like me, also speak English and have Latino roots, and with most American people.

What about your identity are you most proud of?

• I'm really proud of the fact that I did grow up with both cultures, because it has allowed me to be all the more connected with both. My mind is open to approaching different types of people which in turn makes me more accepting; I am thankful for that.

Is there any part of your identity that makes you uncomfortable? Why?

• The only time that I may get uncomfortable about my identity is when I'm among people who aren't as accepting. That could mean Mexican people who are very excluding, or Americans who aren't as accepting to other cultures besides "white" American.