Can Somebody help me please!! “Legal Alien” by Pat Mora
In line 1, these words are not usually hyphenated. Why the author use this unconventional (unusual) punctuation?
What does it mean to “slip from ‘How’s life?’ to ‘Me’stan volvinedo loca’” (2-3)? What ability does the speaker possess?
Why does the speaker believe that Mexicans view her as “alien” in line 11?
What does her smile “mask” (line 20) or hide?
What does the speaker mean when she says, “American but hyphenated”? Who could say that they are unhyphenated Americans? Why might “hyphenated Americans” feel proud of their two cultures?
Extra Credit: Read the poem aloud and listen carefully to how the speaker expresses her thoughts. How would you describe the voice of the persona? In your answer, consider her tone and her style of speaking.
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