The Myth Of The Latin Woman Essay

For most of the twentieth century, the United States was embroiled in a racial battle that consumed the social stage. In addition, even after the outlaw of segregation, differences as far as ethnicity persisted within the American society, having caused much strife in one’s daily life. In literature two authors, Dr. Judith Ortiz Cofer of “The Myth of the Latin Woman” and Malcolm X of “My First Conk”, convey these destitute times with a multitude of emotions, ultimately expressing a desire be accepted into society. Malcolm X and Dr. Judith Ortiz Cofer are both minorities who handled their assimilation into the American culture differently. To start, the two individuals’ actions towards those of other races differed wildly. For instance, Malcolm X was a radical who had run ins with the law. Before he was twenty-one, Malcolm X was charged with multiple burglary charges, casting him down a path of a tempestuous life. Judging from these repeated offenses, one can infer that the incarceration system that X experienced did not offer any definitive road of rehabilitation, especially to one who may have been a person of color. Therefore, X, having experienced such deplorable conditions, felt necessary to incorporate it elsewhere in his post-prison life. However, …show more content…
Cofer and Malcolm X had an ultimate ambition to be viewed favorably and with respect in society, they took different paths to attain it. Having experienced a childhood where certain individuals were looked down upon, Malcolm X went great lengths to be recognized; however, those methods of self-acknowledgement often inflicted adversity to those he targeted. Likewise, Dr Cofer also grappled with acceptance—doing her best to be like others, even so after her multiple altercations. Unlike Malcolm X, Dr. Cofer strived to be resolute and assertive with those hailing from the peanut gallery. In theory, coexisting with one another, as these two authors worked towards, came not without its