Mexican American Disambiguation Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the first line of the poem?
my parents are Mexican who are not
Complete the line: “to be confused with Mexican Americans or ___”
Chicanos
What does the speaker say about being a Chicano from Chicago?
i am a Mexican American with a fancy college degree and a few tattoos
What do white folks at parties call Mexicans living in Mexico?
pobrecitos
What do American colleges call Mexicans living in Mexico?
international students and diverse
What does the speaker say about their parents racial identity in Mexico vs America?
my mom was white in Mexico and my dad was mestizo and after they crossed the border they became diverse. and minorities. and ethnic. and exotic.
What do the speakers parents call themselves?
mexicanos
What do Mexicans in Mexico call the speakers family?
gringos
What does the speaker say about the men in their family marrying lighter skinned women?
that’s the Chicano in me. which means it’s the fancy college degrees in me, which is also diverse of me.
What does the speaker say about eating hamburgers?
they are American when a white person eats them and diverse when my family eats them.
What dose the speaker say about their parents being undocumented?
by undocumented, i mean sin papeles, and by sin papeles, i mean royally fucked
What does the speaker say about their dad becoming a citizen?
which should not be confused with keys to the house. We were safe from deportation, which should not be confused with walking the plank.
What does the speaker call the internal conflict between their identities?
I call that sociology
What do the speakers parents call them, even when they don’t come home much?
mijo
What is the central theme of the poem?
The complexity of identity and the impact of labels on Mexican Americans
What does the poem say about the American Dream?
It contrasts the American Dream with a harsh reality of being undocumented.
How does the poem explore generational differences?
It contrasts the speakers identity as a Chicano with their parents identity as mexicanos.
What does the poem say about language and power?
It shows how words like diverse, ethnic, and exotic can define, confuse, or erase identity.
What is the significance of the poems title, Mexican American Disambiguation?
It highlights the confusion and complexity of defining Mexican American identity.
What literary device is used in “my parents are Mexican who are not to be confused with Mexican Americans”?
Repitition
What is the effect of the poem’s conversational tone?
It makes the poem feel personal and relatable, like a conversation.
What is the significance of the line “que significa esa palabra”?
It shows the disconnect between institutional language and the speakers family.
What does the poem’s use of Spanglish (mixing Spanish and English) achieve?
It reflects the speakers bilingual identity and cultural hybridity.
What is the tone of the poem?
Reflective, ironic, and critical, with moments of humor and poignancy.
