Analysis of “Child of the Americas”

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ENG 125

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Analysis of “Child of the Americas”

The folly on the part of the majority of the American populace usually is related to their concept of American culture to be a unique culture with some superior quality which are absent in the other cultures of different societies of the world. The rigid point of view of myriads of Americans about what the American culture should be and how it should work actually hinders the process of the cultural development within the nation. The narrow approach that is adopted by most of the Americans regarding determining the superiority of the American culture actually keep them away from fruitfully realizing that diversity is the keystone of the American culture and that it is built up of not a single culture but is a composition of different cultures that came into this nation along with the people who emigrated from different corners of the world. Written in 1986, Morales’ Child of the Americas is one of such poems that put light on the different manifestations of the American culture. Through the use of diversified literary devices the poet has tried to convey that being an American never renders a single feeling of belonging to a homogeneous culture.

The poem is well structured with the initial part dealing with the identity of the author, the middle part dealing with the concept with which the author doesn’t feel to be related, and the concluding part reconfirms the theme of diversification. The line, “I am a child of the Americas” (Clungston, 2010, 12.2) confirms the fact that the poet is not to be considered to be a member of a particular cultural community as her culture is an amalgamation of different experiences rendered by different cultural practices that are carrying on in the American society. The poet, through this poem, affirms that fact that she was born in the “crossroads” (Clugston, 2010, 12.2), and hence, it is inevitable for one to be a true American with diversified cultural characteristics within herself. This poem of Morales is a pointer to the fact that cultural diversity is a source of power and as this is so, a person can find home everywhere if he/she is ready to embrace the different cultures that different societies offer (Huelva, n.d.).

Towards the concluding portion of the poem, Morales conveys the truth that though she is composed of the African, Taina, or European cultures (as she has experienced them while dwelling in the American society), she belongs solely to none of them as she belongs to America and it is by residing within America that she is able to carry these different cultures within her heart. By stating that “History made me” (Clugston, 2010, 12.2), Morales explained the historical evolution of the American culture which is an outcome of the amalgamation of myriads of other cultures of the world. And such assertion also makes it easy for the readers to understand that anybody belonging to any racial origin can term herself/himself as American because being American is being a global individual.

The use of metaphors has intensified the significance of the poem. By comparing English language with “a flashing knife blade”, Morales has tried to convey that this language is a kind of creative tool through which a person can establish fruitful communication processes that are needed to strengthen interpersonal bonds (Clugston, 2010, 12.2). Moreover, the dominance of the theme of culture has turned the poem into a significant one. Through her poem, Morales has tried to explain the commonality which resides between the people of different racial backgrounds who are dwelling in the American society. In the American society there are Puerto Ricans, Africans, Europeans, etc but what bonds them together is the feeling of being American, and this truth has elevated the poem into a higher level of emotional significance. Furthermore, in this poem the endeavor of Morales to “balance thorough knowledge of human oppression with a sustainable hopefulness in the possibility of socio-political change” (Fiandt, 2006), can be observed.

The form of the poem, the use of literary devices, and the overall theme, all these congruently provided me with a fruitful reading experience. This poem can make anyone understand that America is an amalgamation of different and diversified cultures and hence, it can be a folly on our part to consider the American culture to be the culture that adhere to the norms of the white Americans only who reside in this nation ancestrally. Morales has tried to explain the commonality which resides between the people of different racial backgrounds who are dwelling in the American society. In the American society there are Puerto Ricans, Africans, Europeans, etc but what bonds them together is the feeling of being American, and this truth has elevated the poem into a higher level of emotional significance.

References

Clugston, R. (2010). Journey into Literature. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education,

Inc.

Fiandt, J. (2006). Autobiographical Activism in the Americas: Narratives of Personal and

Cultural Healing by Aurora Levins Morales and Linda Hogan. Women’s Studies, 35(6),

567-584.doi:10.1080/00497870600809772

Universidad de Huelva. (n.d.). Puerto Rican Literature in the United States: Aurora Levins

Morales. Retrieved from http://www.uhu.es/antonia.dominguez/ pricans/aurora_levins_

morales.htm