Theme of American Identity in Literature Essay Example

In response to the executive order, 9066 and Mericans are literature works that focus on American identity. In both the story and the poem, the little girls represented tend to reflect a form of restriction and an emotional appeal for identity. The central theme illustrated in the stories is that physical appearances and cultural heritage do not determine what it means to be an American. In "Response to Executive Order 9066", the central theme was a criticism of executive order 9066. It unfairly targeted the Japanese Americans.

The poem by Okita was written depicting the setup of World War 2 after Pearl Harbor. In this event, the USA declared war against Japan. The poem begins with the statement issued by the executive and Presidential order 9066. The quote denotes " All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers" The 14-year-old girl of a Japanese-American citizen responds to the relocation order or perhaps internment that will last the duration of the war. With little knowledge of her origin and history, the little girl is classified as a devotee of the Japanese. It is evident that her loyalty as a Japanese-American has been doubted. Her identity is now unclear as she moves to an unknown location. 

In the short story "Mericans" by Cisneros, the story represents a setup of transition. The little girl is described as torn apart between two worlds, the old Mexico and the new American world. This is demonstrated by how the grandmother who she refers to as the awful grandmother restricts her from entering the church. It symbolizes her interest in learning the Mexican cultures and practices. 

The first story uses the mechanical absurdity of executive decisions and how they are removed from the experience of the common people. It uses a single narration, almost dried out in its approach to use this and convey the theme. And then Mericans' is more of a story from the perspective of an outsider. It's about the stereotypical America and how their experience is influenced by what they think about the outsiders and are proud of things they have no control over.

Despite the actions taken by various presidents after the liquidation of the War Relocation Authority, many Japanese-Americans never felt closure. Japanese-Americans who were returning home faced discrimination and prejudice from the civilian population. The American-created internment camps are rarely discussed in history and are told through stories, that do not always give the correct picture and perspective of the Japanese-Americans.