Example Of How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent Essay

People who immigrate to the United States often have a hard time to assimilate into the American lifestyle. It is no exception for the tightly knit Carlos family when they moved and settled in America. Alvarez’s novel tends to bring out the theme of cultural identity and change that the Carlos’ family underwent. It is evident that the women had difficult a time integrating and finally embracing the American lifestyle and culture because they were initially torn between which cultures to identify themselves with. Carlos, who is the main proponent of this family, is however harboring a sense of patriotism to his country with the mind of finally bringing his family back to ‘the island.’
When Laura tells the girls that they are going out to a Spanish restaurant, the girls are pensive at first with Sandra not wanting to go at all. The girls finally agree to go and at last found out that it was a great idea. Carlos is excited because Dr. Fanning is helping him get a job after a frustrating search for a medical license. It dawns on him that he is finally going to get employment in the United States and raise his family there. The family enjoys the flamenco dance despite Carlos’ small embarrassment from Mrs. Fanning, who kissed him on the lips after having a few drinks. At this point, he realizes that he needs to teach the girls to accept and embrace the American lifestyle in order not to look odd. Carlos also realizes that he may be putting the unity of his family in jeopardy after the incident at the party and talks Sandra into keeping it a secret. He also exhibits the urge of assimilating into the American lifestyle by devoting himself to teach the girls out of their Spanish accent into adopting the American accent.
Yolanda, on the other hand, is the most dominant of the girls. She has a diverse personality that leads to her being given multiple nicknames. When the girls were at the party, they were so fascinated by the wild and beautiful dancers who were at the party finally recognizing how beautiful Spanish people are. Yolanda finally realized that no matter the lifestyle you adopt you should not forget the way you were raised. When she meets Rudy and refuses to have a sexual relationship with him, it shows that the culture that she has come to adopt doesn’t have a lasting or substantial impact on her life. Another example is when she finally goes back to her home she exhibits the old Yolanda and adapts quickly to the ways they were brought up with as kids.

Work cited

Alvarez, Julia. How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent. Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 2010. Print.