Gloria Anzaldua's El Sonavabitche

Individuals that make the difficult decision to migrate to a different country in efforts to obtain a better life are often mistreated by people who believe they are of greater importance than them. Many times these individuals are unable to defend themselves because of the language barrier. Gloria Anzaldua's poem "El Sonavabitche" focuses on the exploitation and inequality between different races and cultures. This poem demonstrates the cruel and abusive treatment that undocumented workers receive, specifically immigrants from Mexico. The author emphasizes the exploitation and inequality between races by using Spanish to provide authenticity and incorporate a Hispanic viewpoint, illustrating the fear that the Hispanic characters feel towards “El Sonavabitche”, and including a scene to epitomize how the workers were treated by the man who felt superior over them. …show more content…
By doing this, a deeper connection is formed between the story and the reader through emotions. This connection further highlights the empathy that is felt towards the workers. Anzaldua writes, “Wets, free labor, esclavos. / Pobres jijos de ta chingada. / This the last time we work for him / no matter how fregados we are” (126-127). She creates an authenticity by including a phrase that is commonly used in border cities as well as changing specific words to underline their importance. Anzaldua uses “esclavos”, the Spanish version of the word slave, to stress the harsh treatment that these people were enduring. She also uses “fregados” which indicates being in bad economic situations, highlighting their desperation for