Themes and Corresponding Works



Themes and Corresponding Works

Introduction

In my thesis, I have chosen to compare the works of Aurora Levins Morales', “Child of the Americas” with Nadine Gordimer's work of prose, “Country Lovers”. Both works will be contrasted through their use of the theme of race and ethnicity while in relation to the plat and consistency of the story. I have chosen to analyze these two works in comparison with one another as both are steeped in rich cultural identity and attempt to tell the story of African Americans through the eyes of the authors. Child of the America focuses on the uniqueness of the heritage of an individual, born “at the crossroads”, while Country Lovers speaks of the social taboo that used to exist between interracial relationship of African Americans and their white counterparts. Although both works are different in their context, they both develop in such a way as to create a separate identity for themselves as portraits of the inner soul and thinking of African American. The influence of different cultures on the protagonists is discussed in depth, and I aim to focus on the ethnicity and cultural identity that is understood in both works.

Discussion

Child of the Americas

In her poem, “Child of the Americas”, the author attempts to convey is easy to understand terms how living as a minority may affect the identity among a dominant culture, and it is almost akin to the feeling of being swallowed up whole. The imagery used in the poem is an attempt to identify the outstanding elements of the different cultures within which the author feels she has claim. She uses different aspects of each culture, such as garlic's, mangoes when speaking of Caribena, in order to diversify her knowledge of the different cultures. As the author has a Latino background, it becomes harder for her to assimilate what her homeland truly is. Scholars on immigration say that the arrival of the Latinos to the Americas coincided with a new fashion for multiculturalism. The Latinos face crises in the form of identity, as they cannot shed their culture entirely while living in other societies, but cannot fully celebrate their heritage as well, without facing criticism. Although they are encouraged to hang on to their culture and celebrate the diversity they bring about in cultures with a strict background, they cannot be given the same amount of freedom as natives. The author of the poem shows a clear understanding and awareness of what kind of sacrifices she must made relating to her past, and how diligently she is required to face down the future in order for her to remain a strong individual who isn't swallowed up by the dominant cultures who deem her background inferior in any way.

Symbolism involved in the poem relies on bringing forth the idea that there are multiple facets to the theme of diversity. Each plate is different, through which the author tries to convey that her struggle to survive cannot be diminished through self ...