Legal Alien/Extranjera legal by Pat Mora Feature Menu Introducing the Poem Literary Focus: Speaker

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal by Pat Mora

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Introducing the Poem Have there been times in your life when you have felt “alien”? What images and feelings come to mind when you hear that word?

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Introducing the Poem “Legal Alien” explores the feelings of discomfort that come with belonging to two different cultures. Although the speaker functions well in both cultures, she doesn’t really feel at home in either. The two different versions of this poem—one in English and one in Spanish—emphasize the speaker’s bilingual background. [End of Section]

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Literary Focus: Speaker Speaker—voice talking to us in a poem. The speaker is often the poet—but not always. The poet might speak as someone else—a younger or older person, an animal, or even an inanimate object. When the speaker is not the poet, the poet has created a persona, or mask.

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Literary Focus: Speaker Tone—attitude expressed toward the subject or audience. The speaker’s tone and speaking style combine to create the speaker’s voice. speaker’s tone style of speaking Voice + =

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Literary Focus: Speaker Whenever you read a poem, listen carefully to the voice. You might hear the somber voice of a grandfather the excited chatter of a little child the serene musings of a redwood tree The speaker’s identity and voice can be important keys to the meaning of a poem.

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Literary Focus: Speaker As you read “Legal Alien,” ask yourself Who’s talking to me? What is his or her attitude toward the subject? What do the speaker’s identity and voice tell me about the meaning of the poem? [End of Section]

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Quickwrite Make the Connection Think of all the worlds you belong to: the worlds of home, family, school, sports, and friends, for example. Make a chart like the one here, in which you list at least three ways you feel or behave in two of your worlds: My Worlds School Sports average student; good in math; quiet, shy great pitcher; OK fielder; confident [End of Section]

Meet the Writer

Legal Alien/Extranjera legal Meet the Writer Pat Mora was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, a city that borders Mexico. Her grandparents and father had come from Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. While she was growing up, her family took frequent trips across the border to go to the market. Mora doesn’t deny that a bicultural existence can be painful, but she stresses the harmonies between cultures. She finds the differences among people less important than the things all cultures share. More About the Writer [End of Section]