The Border Wall

In Efrén Divided, the author includes the border wall, between Mexico and the United States, as a symbol for arbitrary division. Throughout the narrative, Efrén attempts to navigate his Mexican American heritage and feels encumbered by the prejudice his family faces. He does not understand why Amá is targeted and taken away when she is simply working and raising her family. The author suggests that prejudice divides individuals in the same manner as physical walls. When the culture in the United States persecutes immigrants, divisions between people who share common ideals, hopes, and ideologies emerge.

The House on Mango Street

The author includes reference to the novel The House on Mango Street as a symbol for coming of age. In the narrative, the protagonist Esperanza, dreams of leaving the block where she grew up. She knows that something needs to change but...