Immigrants

The picture posted above is a representation of contrast between two different kinds of lifestyles. People are living as a community as viewed on the upper part of the picture and where life is joyous because people are seemingly in harmony and confident with their environment. There seems to be a friendly activity in that environment as the people engage in their day to day activities. On observing carefully, those on the upper left hand side seem to be involved in some form of activity.

For instance, from the background and the clothing it is clear that the lady with a child on a donkey and the rider accompanying her seem to be advanced than those on the lower part of the picture, hence the reason why the lady on the donkey seems to receive honor. This picture might also be illustrating the picture of Biblical Christ riding on a donkey as he was heading on to Jerusalem. The Image is a little bit brighter and well lit; perhaps as an indicator to a brighter future to the people as the salvation was on the wait after crucifixion of. This applies to the top right hand part of the picture where we find a large building and an engine train passing by, this may just be an indicator as a high class status of the community.

On the lower part of the picture, illustrates a man and most probably what seem to be his wife and their three children. More so, they seem to be isolated from the rest of the society because of their sad looking faces with the most affected being the father, perhaps highlighting the fact that the man may be suffering as he also looks a bit depressed. The picture has some connotations similar to those emphasized in Pat Mora’s poem “Immigrants” (Mora 185)as the poem refers to immigrants.

The picture creates an image of a man and his family living as immigrants in an alien culture and the hardships they are undergoing trying to survive in a world they belong not. Hence, in regards to the reference of the family, people should be proud of the uniqueness in their culture and should not try to alter what the nature intended for their existence, thus they should neither try force nor adopt things not compatible to their way of living in order to gain acceptance in a culture that might not even appreciate them.

In her poem “Immigrants” (Mora 185) Pat Mora explores the concerns that characterize immigrants and perhaps the struggles they go through as they search for acceptance in alien cultures. In reading this poem one is met with mixed feelings of anger and melancholy which are quite imminent especially when Pat Mora says, “speak to them in thick English, hallo, babbee, hallo” (Mora 185). This probably highlights a poor expression in English among the immigrants and further a sense of not belonging. This can be well illustrated by the life I came across since I moved to Arizona as an immigrant. This came as a result of my parents’ inability to educate my siblings and me and hence opting to send me as an immigrant to Arizona, United States. After being accepted at the university, I received my acceptance letters, thus securing an official scholarship to study abroad fully paid by the government.

This was a timely decision for my parents allowing me to study abroad for later on I started to follow up with some people who had an experience in the U.S. about preparation of studying in a totally different environment from which I used to be. It was a hard experience as coming first to U.S. through Washington DC as I left my home country Saudi Arabia through Dammam. I encountered a lot of difficulties with the U.S. immigration officials sometimes asking me personal questions about me and the intentions I could be having to an extent of suspecting me being a liar. I admitted being a liar on further interrogations but I noticed a scowl on one of their faces but my friend assured them that I didn’t know how to speak or understand most English words. Furthermore, I went through the immigration employees’ checkup which took some time to complete but after all checks I went to my final destination which was Tuscon, Arizona.

Most parents expect only the best for their children because they think that English is they perceive that perhaps English is the first language that people may have to learn in their lives and this may be what Pat Mora tries to imply. Mora uses this poem to significantly demonstrate that diverse cultures surround us and if not careful they might transform our way of life. Of course, when growing up in any environment, it is hard to adapt to anything different from what we have been brought up with. Nevertheless, culture is fascinating and weird to comprehend as claimed by Pat Mora, “immigrants buy them blonde dolls that blink blue eyes or a football and tiny cleats, before the baby can even walk”.

This is what most parents do to their babies to make them happy before they are born, but upon their birth, they buy them toys before they even walk and they tend to make imaginations of everything they will do and do hope to see them walking with the toys. The boys are always treated like their fathers a replica of strength and toughness but more so they are taught to take care of their mother in addition to their brothers and sisters. Moreover, they buy blonde dolls to the young girls, hence teaching them how to care for each other and thus growing like their mothers who are gentle.

Mora mentions that upon the babies sleeping, the immigrants whisper to them in Polish or Spanish (Mora 185). It is the responsibility of the parents to take care of their children and guide them as the Americans do when they take full responsibility of their children. Most of the people who settle in America forget their culture which is the most appropriate to address their children as well as instructing them in the appropriate ways of living but they rather opt for English which they are not correctly familiar with. They fail to realize that the native language once is brought up in is the best to give advice as well as instruction to growing children.

However, by considering the line “immigrants wrap babies with the American flag” (Mora 185), the reader can’t ignore the consequences that the explained Act can attract since it is unconstitutional and against the American laws. The law doesn’t allow one to disrespect the American flag, a symbol of national unity and cultural heritage. The image created by the poet tries to imply that immigrant parents are drowning their children with all that dictates the American way of life. They fear that the American society may not accept their children and thus parents try all their best to make their children adopt the American lifestyle. But as they realize that the American flag is of great importance to the American people, Pat Mora, shows that children are also an important thing to their parents and so people should also treat their children as they treat the American flag.

However, Pat Mora writes a good poem that creates a notion that every parent wants their children to come to the United States. Even though Pat Mora shows us that the parents care, worry, and fear about their children, she highlights that trying to change or adapt other cultures comes with its own forms of distress, and people should not try to be who they are not. Hence we can conclude that it is worthless to try and change who you are at the expense of rejecting your culture and finally not get accepted, as acceptance should be based on the character of a person rather than on cultural background.