Analysis Of Across A Hundred Mountains, By Reyna Grande

When asked about why she wrote Across a Hundred Mountains, Reyna Grande responded: “I never found a book that dealt with the experiences I went through-- being left behind in another country while my parents worked in the U.S” (Ruf 54). Grande’s work novel and memoir are intimate and personal narratives. In her memoir Grande lets her audience into her personal experiences and her intimate journey to reconcile with her identity, while her fictional novel magnifies her fears and identity conflicts. Taking in consideration the narrative chronology, analyzing the main similarities and applying the concepts of social liminality and cultural negotiation identity construction of undocumented immigrants, the diversity and complexities of identity is …show more content…
After Grande and her sibling’s arrival to the U.S. due to their immigration status their mobility is limited to just school and her father’s apartment. Natalio constantly reminds her children that they are undocumented: “We didn’t speak a word of English, and we were frightened. But Papi wasn’t worried about our lack of English. He was worried about something else. ‘Don’t tell anyone that you’re here illegally’, he warned us” (Grande 2013:165). This quote points one the two main aspects that put Grande in social liminality: the language barrier and her undocumented status. She is now living in the U.S, however her mobility is limited and she does not participate in wider societal events. As emphasized by her father her immigration status is dominate marker of social liminality, since they run the risk of deportation. Also, her father uses their immigration status to implement his …show more content…
To combat the bullying due to her thick Spanish accent Reyna turned to reading and writing, which made her a disciplined student. Also, after the family obtains their Green Cards their mobility expanded and Reyna’s access to higher education facilitates her independent from her abusive and dominant father. Grande negotiates her social liminality as she becomes an excellent student and after her legalization her immigration status does is no longer an obstacle. In regards to her identity cultural negotiation plays are more significant role. In the memoir she identifies as Mexican American: “I consider myself Mexican American because I am from both places. Both countries are within me. They coexist within me. And my writing is the bridge that connects them both” (Grande 2013: 320). Her identity as Mexican American is a negotiation between cultures, languages and lived