Gloria Anzaldua Response
Heather Hedges
Professor Acuna-Borrero
ENC 1102
24 February 2014
“To Live in the Borderlands Means You” “To Live in the Borderlands Means You” by Gloria Anzaldua, is a poem talking about women’s mentalities in trying to be in all cultures at once. Gloria Anzaldua writes her poems aiming towards white middle to upper aged women who have defined womanhood by their own personal experiences. The author is focusing on identity and vision from a feminist aspect. In the first line of the poem, Anzaldua is making a clear statement that women can’t be only one race. Anzaldua says, “ To live in the borderlands means you are neither hispana india negra espanola ni gabacha, eres mestiza, mulata, half-breed caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races on your back not knowing which side to turn to, run from” (1137)
The author says that you can’t hide the experiences in your past that make you who you are today. The minority of women cannot be banned from any kind of women’s movements, just like women cannot change the races from where they came from. Gloria Anzaldua is showing in this poem that women cannot pick and choose what race they want to be. Every race makes up a section of who they are as a person. This poem was written to show that women of all different races can come together as one and be a part of the same women’s rights movement. I believe that Gloria Anzaldua is showing the above statement in the poem itself. She uses English and Spanish to show that two totally different cultures can come together. All women want equal rights. The author is showing that no matter what race, ethnicity or background you came from, all women can come together as one for one main purpose, and that is the rights of all women.
Professor Acuna-Borrero
ENC 1102
24 February 2014
“To Live in the Borderlands Means You” “To Live in the Borderlands Means You” by Gloria Anzaldua, is a poem talking about women’s mentalities in trying to be in all cultures at once. Gloria Anzaldua writes her poems aiming towards white middle to upper aged women who have defined womanhood by their own personal experiences. The author is focusing on identity and vision from a feminist aspect. In the first line of the poem, Anzaldua is making a clear statement that women can’t be only one race. Anzaldua says, “ To live in the borderlands means you are neither hispana india negra espanola ni gabacha, eres mestiza, mulata, half-breed caught in the crossfire between camps while carrying all five races on your back not knowing which side to turn to, run from” (1137)
The author says that you can’t hide the experiences in your past that make you who you are today. The minority of women cannot be banned from any kind of women’s movements, just like women cannot change the races from where they came from. Gloria Anzaldua is showing in this poem that women cannot pick and choose what race they want to be. Every race makes up a section of who they are as a person. This poem was written to show that women of all different races can come together as one and be a part of the same women’s rights movement. I believe that Gloria Anzaldua is showing the above statement in the poem itself. She uses English and Spanish to show that two totally different cultures can come together. All women want equal rights. The author is showing that no matter what race, ethnicity or background you came from, all women can come together as one for one main purpose, and that is the rights of all women.