“The Myth of the Latin Woman,” Judith Ortiz Cofer talks about her life in America as a Puerto Rican. She talks about how people stereotyped not only her but all Puerto Rican women. How American culture was different from Hispanic culture, and about how she wanted to fit in, but
My reaction towards this chapter was almost bipolar. On one hand, I enjoyed reading about the empowered women who took their lives and independence into their own hands and stood up. I really admire people like this, because they fought for a cause they believed in and that I believe in. And what’s more, they fought with what they had, which were not the most advantageous tools for equality, but they were the ones they were able to use. However, on the other hand I feel that Zinn over-exaggerates.
Having a more conventional name can make a person fit in more easily with the society in which they live. If it is a challenge for someone to pronounce your name, then it may be difficult to fit in with that society. At age twelve, Firoozeh Dumas thought adding an American name to hers would improve the life she had in America. She felt that if people could pronounce her name that then childhood would be filled with many friendships and happy memories. “To strengthen my decision to add an American name, I had just finished fifth grade in Whittier, where all the kids incessantly called me “ferocious” (85).
The essay the myth of the Latin woman by Judith Ortiz Cofer teaches the readers how a woman was stereotyped and the difference between the American cultures from the Puerto Rican culture. Indeed, Judith wanted to fit in the American culture but this was difficult due to her different custom, and culture. Judith wants to portray to readers how Americans repeatedly stereotype the Latin women and the Puerto Ricans. Clearly, the main differences between the Americans according to the essay is the clothing style as the Americans have a modest dressing way while the Puerto Ricans prefer to dress in a vibrant and flashy manner. The other main lessons that confer want to teach the reader is that despite hard times in life one can still be successful.
For example, as my female children grew up, I included them on trips to meet with some of my female colleagues who I knew they would benefit from meeting. At first my female children did not respond because of lack of self- confidence, but eventually they learned to bring a pad to take notes. From these times, they found mentors they could contact and ask questions they may never feel comfortable asking mom or dad. It matured them and helped them build high self-esteem, and helped them obtain guidance and support outside of their parents. Second, the parents should develop a “growth mindset” for their females by praising them for effort, concentration, action, and strategies.
This knowledge allows the author to effectively create dramatic irony. When Dee finds the quilts in the trunk and rubs her hands over the fabric we as readers can connect with Dee in the sense that she is educated and her perceived value of the quilt is different than that of her mother and sister, yet we can still honor Mama’s emotions those of protecting Maggie from her sisters’ callousness. Mama is naïve to the world outside of the rural south; Dee on the other hand is in living it. Mama does not understand where Dee's perceived values are coming from so the educated insight into Dee's
Her friends think that there is a sexually suggestive behavior, when she dresses in her mother's jewelry at the party. And those things bring her life a lot of trouble. She solves the biases by many different ways, which include her good education. These two authors have experienced some problems of gender and racial biases. But they use good communication skills and courage to face the problem to complete their outstanding
Cofer explains to the readers with the different stereotypes she was subjected to, and offers her insights as to why stereotyping may occur. She also acknowledged how stereotyping can occur when she admitted things can be lost in tradition. Cofer states that “When a Puerto Rican girl dressed in her idea of what is attractive meets a man from the mainstream culture who has been trained to react to certain types of clothing as a sexual signal; a clash is likely to take place”. Her saying this demonstrates that she understands the root of some stereotyping against her. It’s important to understand that some cultures may be subjected to misinterpretation, especially by these who are not familiar with its customs, backgrounds, or traditions.
Two men in Miral’s life treat her very well. Both education and natural power are themes that we compare with based on these two novels. Education is very important for women from Middle East countries because it is a good way to change their lives. In Saadawi’s novel, Firdaus was born in and grew up in a poor family in a community of poor families. She did not know about how book was so powerful at the beginning until she moved to her uncle’s house in Cario.
This passage is relatable to my life because although the women are wished luck in certain cultures she can be cast off by her family into a new world in a new house and style of living. A like college life for me I have not been able to ask my parents for help all too often but rather live my life by myself with my own money and experiences. Bateson sat in on a day of preschool for her daughter. While at school she realizes the big culture difference between the groups of humans when the teacher throws away all of the drawings done by the children during their drawing time. This passage shows the huge difference between a cultures that rewards creativity in children to not showing any concern in their creativity at all.