A day without a Mexican

After renting A Day Without a Mexican, I feel like I could connect with the problems the movie was constantly referring to.  It was eye opening looking through different people's perspectives on how they view the Mexican-American population in not just America but the state with the biggest immigration, California.  My eyes really opened up to the fact that we need Mexicans in the United States or our economy will collapse. The movie did a great job showing what would happen if a lot of people got what they wanted and all Mexicans left.  I think people need to be more open minded to the fact that America is a haven for immigrants, and having immigrants is helping our economy which we have come to be dependent on. The different perspectives shown in the movie represent all the different opinions I have heard from people here in Goshen as well. People need to embrace the cultural influences that help keep America alive and open up to something different.

Bless me, Ultima

Bless me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya is a coming to age story about a young Antonio Marez.  One thing that really struck me about this novel was that the experience he has with his religion and the magical world makes the story unique as well as cultural. 
Antonio lives in World War 2 era New Mexico in a small town called Guadalupe.  The story starts when Ultima arrives and performs healing.  Antonio gets worried about his religion and the introduction of magic into his life.  I understand how he would feel, having something new put into his life while he is already struggling to find his own identity and what he really believes.
Bless me, Ultima is a unique novel that shows the cultural experience of something new and different from the usual.

Response to "I, the Worst of All"

"I, the Worst of All" was very helpful for me when getting a broader outlook on the history of Latino Literature.  Being able to view and read about the strict moral codes and hierarchies gives me a better glimpse on why a lot of the literature of that time came out the way it did. 
Juana shows a lot of the sides Latino writers all over the world had to endure, and the fact that she was a woman made it even more difficult for her to write freely and express her opinion about the wrongs of society in that time.  She also shows that even though literature for a Latina woman was difficult to come by, those who wrote or even dedicated their lives to literature and education did the best with their opportunities, and really helped bring around a wave of new thinking and changes that helped revolutionize the rest of the world. 
The identity that Juana has for herself, and the identity that Juana portrays throughout the film shift while watching the movie.  She starts out a little backward, quiet, and not abash but then becomes more outgoing and critical as she gets respect from her peers.  During parts of the movie I did not think that the other characters even bothered that she was a woman because her knowledge and education meant more to the Viceroy.
Altogether it was a sad story that during 17th century Juana was not able to pursue her educational career like she would have wanted, but she helped pave the way for all Latino writers that came after her time. 

My Name

My name is simple.  It isn't a strange name with a good story behind it, or even an ethnic name that could be used as a conversation starter.  It tells little about me; what kind of personality I have, what kind of foods I like, and it certainly does not tell people where I have been or where I am going.  I would like my name to become a title, a way for people to understand who I am not just what I am called. If my name was a title I imagine it would be long, filled with difficult words but also easy going in certain parts. Everyone would have their own title, allowing other people to understand each other completely.  The world would be a more truthful place.
I feel that my name just does not give me enough justice when it comes to things I have experienced.  A name like Nathan is pretty boring and when it comes to introducing my self I really would like more flavor to my name.  A name is something the owner should be proud of, something that really shows everyone around you all the travels and journeys from your past.  Likewise if you are not a good person, you should not have a grand name.  I believe names help start a new relationship, and with a name that tells a life story, it makes making friends that much easier.  My name is simple, but I wish it wasn't.

Blog 1

Latino lit.