A Boy Without A Flag Analysis

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Historically, immigrant groups within the United States consistently develop identifiable cultural themes as they fight to establish their identity as an integrated minority group within the United States. Frequently, these communities utilize literature and other artistic works to highlight these themes in a way that is logical and emotionally appealing to an American public that is often prejudiced against minorities. Nuyorican and Dominican-American writers are an excellent example of this phenomenon. The works of authors such as Abraham Rodriguez and Junot Diaz honor the unique cultural themes that characterize Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrant communities as they wrestle with a new lifestyle in the starkly different culture and political …show more content…
values and cultural norms even as they attempt to integrate into American society. The animosity of Puerto Ricans towards the United States is centered on the colonial status they believe Puerto Rico occupies as “the great lap dog of the Caribbean” (Rodriguez 7). In “The Boy without a Flag,” Abraham Rodriguez embodies the Puerto Rican people’s sentiments towards the United States through the words of the boy’s father: “All this country does is abuse Hispanic nations . . . tie them down, make them dependent. It says democracy with one hand while it protects and feeds fascist dictatorships with the other . . . We had our own revolution . . . and the United States crushed it with the flick of a pinkie” (Rodriguez 4, 7). Even as Puerto Ricans such as the boy’s family seek to adapt to the U.S. lifestyle, their interpretation of these larger political simultaneously fuels a dislike for the United States. As vocalized by the protagonist of “Boy without a Flag”: “Do you know what imperialism is? . . . Puerto Rico is a colony . . . why I gotta respect that?” (Rodriguez 15). This sentiment results in tension between Puerto Ricans who

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