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Okita And Merican

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After reading excerpts from “Response to Executive Order 9066” by Dwight Okita, and “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros, I feel that both authors establish a common theme about the topic of American identity by referencing different American stereotypes and discrimination. Both authors Dwight Okita and "Sandra Cisneros were greatly influenced by the American culture. They also both talk about how cultural background and your appearance does not determine what being American means.

In “Response to Executive Order 9066”, the person telling the story is a young 14 year-old girl. She doesn’t really seem to realize what’s happening and that her family will be deported to relocation centers for being of Japanese descent. The narrator’s best friend is a white girl named Denise. She was probably told by an adult about the American vs. Japanese issue. She isn’t nice to the narrator. For example, “She was sitting on the other side of the room. “You’re trying to start a war,” she said, ´giving secrets away to the Enemy. Why can’t you keep your big mouth shut?´” Okita clearly addresses the themes of discrimination towards the …show more content…
The author uses images and examples that are not very nice to hear. For example, the speaker, Micaela, calls her grandmother "awful," and seems to resent her strict views and religious ideals. Micaela also mentions how she and her brother mimic characters from popular American television programs when they play make-believe. She also describes physically standing outside her family's church. This symbolizes the fact that she feels like an outsider to Mexican culture. Even though Micaela is of Mexican descent, she seems to feel a stronger connection to the United States. Micaela also talks about how her grandma doesn't like the United States by how she prays for her family being in American and that America is

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