figurative language
Identify the type and explain.
The Lights on the stage were as unrelenting as the desert sun
The speaker of the poem is...
A daughter describing her mother's life
"I can’t"
reflects feelings of inadequacy or fear
"Their eyes were pinpricks"
A metaphor to describe the discomfort of the others staring.
What does "the undoable is done in the next generation" mean?
Indicates that change happens over time, with each new generation.
"the only Mexican in the auditorium"
reveals a feeling of isolation or lack of representation.
Identify the type and its meaning
Stuck in your throat like an ice cube...
"Your father, the judge without a courtroom" suggests the father was...
strict/serious
"Forbidden language"
reveals strict family values regarding language; creates a tension between cultural identity and personal expression.
"the judge without a courtroom" is an example of...
a metaphor
What does the repetition of "you" indicate?
The daughters focus mother's persistence in overcoming struggles learning/speaking English.
"your voice is the voice of an aunt in Mexico"
Reveals that there is a strong family and cultural connection.
"Family stories sing of what lives in the blood." means...
Personification expressing that heritage is upheld or celebrated through family.
"Your breath moves through the family like the wind"
refers to the mother's voice as it influences the family.
what tone "unrelenting" suggest in the first stanza?
It creates a tone of harshness or pressure and evokes a feeling of determination or struggle