How does the language in your specific section of the poem illustrate the construction of the Chican@ identity? What hardships or
barriers or advantages have made it (im)possible for Mexicanos to coexist into
American culture?
Be sure to cite specific phrases in your section and explain how literary terms and devices expand/enhance that argument. Post your own analysis in a well structured paragraph, and respond to someone else's analysis. All posts MUST be completed before 10:59 pm today.
In section 19 of Rodolfo Gonzales’ poem “I Am Joaquin”, through the use of diction and imagery, the speaker asserts their affinity for Latino Culture and the love they harbour for their people. The excerpt begins by informing the reader of the nature of revolution for chicanos. “Like a sleeping giant it slowly/ Rears its head” (Gonzales 19). For chicanos, the notion of revolution is always there in the form of a giant, looming, ever-present and unavoidable, but it lays dormant until it is sparked into action. This revolution is then said to be characterized by “The sound of/ Tramping feet/ Clamouring voices/ Mariachi strains/ Fiery tequila explosions/ The smell of chile verde and,/ Soft brown eyes of expectations for a/ Better life.” (Gonzales 19). The employment of words such as ‘tramping’, ‘clamouring’, and ‘explosions’ evoke a sense of disquiet that will foreshadow an impending revolution and stir the reader. The speaker regards their people lovingly when they describe the ‘soft brown eyes of expectation’ they have ‘for a better life’. The aspiration for improvement within their lives is embedded in Latino culture. It is why many through history have uprooted their lives in search of something more in a foreign country. It is the reason those depicted in the excerpt are initiating a revolution. It is all for the hope of change. Latinos have been able to remain a presence in American culture, despite the marginalization they are often confronted with, because of their determination to continue to fight for developments in their communities and for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI thought you had a really interesting interpretation behind the meaning of the lines and feel like for the most part, you explained your reasoning well.
Delete-Micah Hicks
Micah Hicks
ReplyDeleteIn section 7 of, "I Am Joaquin", by Rodolfo Gonzales, he writes, "I am the mountain Indian/superior over all" (Gonzales 7). This is an allusion to the Amerindian ancestry of Chicanos, and how the Amerindians were once rulers of grand empires like the Mayans and Aztecs were. Gonzales goes on to write the Joaquin's "thundering hoof beats are horses and that "The chattering machine guns are death to all of [him]" (Gonzales 7). Gonzales makes references to horses and machine guns in order to distinguish this part of Joaquin from the "mountain Indian", who represents the Aztecs who had neither horses nor guns. Instead, the machine gun wielding part of Joaquin alludes to his Spanish ancestry. Although Gonzales describes both the "mountain Indian" and the "chattering machine guns" as "course and brutal", he says that only the "machine guns are death to all of me/Yaqui/Tarahumara/Chamala" and so on (Gonzales). Yaqui, Tarahuama, and Chamala were all Amerindian tribes that were established before the arrival of the Spanish to the Americas. However, once the Spanish became a part of Joaquin' identity, it brought death and destruction to the rest of him. In this poem, Joaquin is synonyms with Chicano. Although both the Spanish and the Aztecs played a role in the formation of Joaquin, the Spanish was insistent that they become an aspect of him at the expense of Joaquin having to lose the rest of his identity.
I agree with your initial argument except your last sentence, where your saying if I understand correctly, that Joaquin loses his identity through the Spanish aspect of himself. This is untrue, it further forms who Joaquin is, he is both Spanish and Indigenous blood, coexisting as one whole entity (a.k.a. Joaquin).
DeleteHector Salazar
ReplyDeleteIn “I am Joaquin”, Joaquin represents the entity of the Chicano identity as a whole as it is reflected as how Joaquin defines who he is, through the history and experiences of past Latinos. In section 14 of the Poem, Gonzalez writes, “The art of our great senores…is but another act of revolution for the salvation of mankind”, through art, specifically murals from painters such as Rivera, Siqueiros, and Orozco, Latinos were able to empower and express themselves and speak out against the forceful relationship America held with Latin America (14). “…the salvation of mankind” can also allude to Christianity, an element of the Latino culture that was pushed onto the early indigenous Latin Americans, as Jesus Christ came for the salvation of mankind, but now empowered Latinos also have come to save mankind (14). Music, a big part of the Latino culture is also part of Joaquin, or the Chicano identity, as it is another form of expression and storytelling within the culture and further form the identity of “the people- who I am” (14).
I agree with your analysis on how Joaquin represents the chicano people as a whole, and how music is an expression within the culture of the people, which helps further the identity of the people.
DeleteIn section 16 of "I am Joaquin", the author uses powerful imagery to describe his feelings and how those feelings connect with the hopelessness for the future. "I shed the tears of anguish/as I see my children disappear/behind the shroud of mediocrity" (Gonzales 16) The angst the author fears is his children not recognizing for what he truly is, but for what society labels him as. The author struggles with self-identity, therefore makes it impossible for him to strive because he always goes back to having to define himself not only for his children but for his own self-evaluation. This is expressed through the lines, "and win this struggle/ for my sons, and they/ must know from me/ who I am." (Gonzales) The simple way the author expresses his concern for the struggle he faces of self vs. self, is a reflection of how the construction of the Chicano identity is for all Mexican-Americans: undefinable and always in need of authentication. This hardship that is present will always be an obstruction to the not "fitting in", however; it shouldn't be viewed as a problem, but more an additive to the new culture rising within the Chicano movement.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very well articulated paragraph. I enjoyed your analysis of how not fitting in could be viewed as a positive thing.
Delete-Brennan
Brennan Quinn
ReplyDeleteIn section 12 of Rodolfo Gonzales’ “I am Joaquin,” Gonzales uses paradoxes to portray the Latino struggle of finding an identity. “Here I stand Poor in money…”(Gonzales 12). Gonzales uses this paradox to allude to the beginnings of the struggle. Companies such as United Fruit took over Latin American farms and reaped the benefits of exploiting the work of the native people. So, his paradox connects to the struggle of the poor farmers working in the vast Anglo owned fruit farms, the fruit of course being money. “My culture has been raped” (Gonzales 12). Gonzales then connects the physical struggle of the farmers to their mental struggle of losing their pride and culture when their land was taken from them. Without culture, the farmers’ identity is then compromised. Having a compromised identity can impede the assimilation process, especially in a country as proud as the United States.
Brenan:
DeleteYour piece is has the awesome trinity of being clear, concise, and organized. You definitely thoroughly analyzed your topic. However, in your evaluating sentence, the your identification of the U.S. as proud needs more evidence to take it from a vague assumption to assessment of the attitude of U.S. society and culture.
I like how you intertwined the history into your response and how it relates to the literary context of the poem.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn section 4 of the poem I Am Joaquin by Rodolfo Corky Gonzalez, recounts the elements and historical figures that define and form Mexican history. Gonzalez places himself in key moments throughout Mexican history in order to redefine the events as times that he as a Chicano was active participate in the formation of legends in order to contrast past and present perspectives and disparities of the Chicano identity. Throughout the poem Gonzalez refers himself as being historical figures in Mexican history or as his "companeros" whom with he, "STOOD AGAINST TH[E] WALL OF INFAMY" (4), empowering himself as the shaper of his own past. By comparing himself to revolutionaries like Jose Morales, he distinguishes himself as entangled in the struggle to separate himself from Anglo and European oppression. Throughout the piece, Gonzalez creates contradictions in his comparison of himself to historical figures as he proclaims, "[their] head, [to be] his" (4). Joaquin's identity is thus formed by both his past and his present; his history of oppression by Anglos, and his present as a fighter. Ultimately from this, Gonzalez enforces the idea that both elements of Joaquin's identity that he maintain an enduring belief in himself and his culture, regardless of how he is marginalized.
ReplyDeleteWell structured. I thought your section of "I Am Joaquin" was very interesting, in which Gonzalez compared himself to other historical figures and somehow implied that he is apart of them and vice versa.
DeleteIn section 1 of "I am Joaquin", Joaquin represents a Chicano that is confused and scorned by society. In line 1 of section 1, the author states, "I am Joaquin." Essentially, this statement is placed at the beginning of the poem to address what Joaquin is trying to find; his true identity as a Chicano. In "I Am Joaquin", Gonzalez recreates the past and present, by presenting a new perspective which is of the Chicano. "I am Joaquin, lost in a world of confusion, caught up in the whirl of a gringo society, confused by the rules, scorned by attitudes, suppressed by manipulation, and destroyed by modern society." Throughout the poem and within this section Gonzales gives the perspective of the Chicano, instead of an American which is often spoken of. In addition, Gonzalez takes the approach writing what seems like a semi autobiography. “And now! I must choose…” Gonzalez uses this to make the reader distinguish 1st person from narrator. This enhances the argument, in which it makes me reflect more about the Latino experience rather than what’s explained in most history classes.
ReplyDeleteIn section 15 of "I am Joaquin" Joaquin keeps the constant idea that the Chicano community is a whole and is together as one. This is apparent when Gonzales states, "We face life together in sorrow,/ anger,joy,faith and wishful/thoughts." Here Gonzales is saying that the Chicano community all posses the same feelings and all experience the same pain and struggle; the people, the Chicano people, all have one life, and that is the life that is represented by Joaquin. This sense of unity among the Chicano community is also shown through the lines "I am in the eyes of woman,/sheltered beneath/ her shawl of black,/deep and sorrowful eyes/ that bear the pain of sons long buried and dying," here Gonzales reinforces further the idea that the Chicano people all live and see life through the same eyes, whether that be those of the woman he speaks of, or whether it be a Chicano man, the community all feels the same and all withstand the same pain as that person does. The line also gives insight into the actual life that the Chicano community experiences. I thought of that line alluding to the idea of war and how many Chicanos were fighting in American driven wars. They were fighting and dying for a country that worked to exclude and essentially alienate them from society. Mothers, like the one in Section 15, left at home to mourn the loss of her children who were used as tools for war. This same pain is felt throughout the entire Chicano community and these experiences and tribulations is what builds the Chicano identity; it is what builds Joaquin. Dark brown skin tone and thick Spanish accents both are effective in halting the Mexicanos ability to coexist in America and american culture. This is not due to Mexicanos but mostly Americans inability and ignorance to other culture and their backgrounds. Nativism runs high in America and the lifestyle and the culture of Mexicanos is unfamiliar to Americans, just like American culture is unfamiliar to Mexicanos; yet it is Mexicanos who are forced to change because America feels that it's culture is superior to that of Mexicanos, but the intense unfamiliarity that Mexicanos have with American culture, and the immense differences between the two cultures makes it difficult and nearly impossible for Mexicanos to fit into America.
ReplyDeleteMusa Muhammad
ReplyDeleteIn section 10 of "I am Joaquin" it is shown how the Chicano people go through much confusion and identity crises. This section of the poem begins by showing how the Chicanos sometimes felt as if they've abandoned their culture, and are now just in this big melting pot with all of the other cultures. This section has a great use of metaphors to describe the Chicanos social condition. "I look at myself/And see part of me/who rejects my father and my mother/And dissolves into the melting pot /To disappear in shame." (Gonzales 10). The metaphor of comparing all of the different cultures mixing together, to that of a melting pot, provides the reader with a sense of all of the cultures abandoning their old ways/traditions to become as a whole new culture. In addition to a self-identity crisis, there is also word of revolution/rebellion. "Blood has flowed from me on every battlefield between/campesino, hacendado,/slave and master and revolution." (Gonzales 10). The diction in the first line helps illustrate how the Chicano people have fought in every battle there is to achieve their revolution. This also shows how resilient they are to to give up fighting for what they believe in, and how they will stop at nothing until complete revolution occurs.
I agree with your viewpoint on how Chicanos go through confusion and identity crisis because they are welcome in neither Mexican or american culture.
DeleteIn section 2 of "I Am Joaquin", the author states he is proud and mixed of many different cultures. The author is proud of all the races he is. He is stating that he is all this power from different civilizations and cultures. "I am the eagle and serpent of the Aztec civilization" this quote shows that he believes he is the strength of many civilizations combined. "But...THE GROUND WAS MINE" this quote states that even if controlled he felt as if he had the power. Even with Spanish influence he was the owner of the land. He proudly identified himself.
ReplyDeletebrub
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