Blog Post #4

A person that self-identifies themselves as a first generation is a first born citizen of the United States from a family of immigrants. I define myself as a first generation American since I was the first age group born in the United States. My parents came to the United States at a young age and soon after became citizens resulting in them quickly assimilating into the American culture and traditions. Although they assimilated into a completely different lifestyle, their Mexican roots remained strong and assured the continuance of their ethnic culture’s traditions. In relation to their experiences of assimilation, they would most relate to Maxine Hong Kingston. Maxine Hong Kingston is a first generation Chinese-American that reflects upon the cultural experiences of her Asian immigrant family in her literature. In her book, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood among Ghost, Kingston details the struggles of assimilation and the blending of traditions and cultures as a Chinese-American.

As a Chicana, I was able to relate to Sandra Cisneros the most because she identifies herself as a Chicano too. Sandra Cisneros is a Latina-American novelist where in her book Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories, she creates images that portray life on the border that lies between Mexico and the United States. I am able to relate to her because like her I can critique the culture from the outside since it is not of my own. I was not born in Mexico but since I was raised in a Mexican household I was forced to critique the culture due to my clearer understanding of my own American culture. A topic Cisneros touches that continues to be relevant today is machismo. The concept of machismo is strongly recognized in Spanish-speaking countries for the ideal role men play in society and at home. Someone who is “machista” has an exaggerated masculinity pride that is used to dominate women. This dominance is reflected through aggression and violence. Machismo is seen in most household where women do all of the chores while the men do not since it is in their belief that it is a woman’s role. Although this concept is slowly degrading in the United States, it remains strong in the Hispanic culture.

To prevent traditional concepts like Machismo I believe it is best to recognize them and rebel against it. Most men in Hispanic households are afraid to isolate themselves from this concept in which they were raised from in fear that they will be considered “weak”. Today, in Hispanic households in the United State it is not commonly seen due to the assimilation of the American culture. The man in the house is able to stop the continuance of this by recognizing that it is okay in the American culture for the man to not dominate. Instead, there is an equality in the home chores that prevent this concept. By highlighting the negativity of machismo and educating the youth on how to prevent this “ideal manly role” I believe it is possibly to end this concept in the Hispanic communities in America and in Spanish speaking countries.