Question

Read the paragraph from a student’s essay comparing Sandra Cisneros’s “Mericans” and Dwight Okita’s “In Response to Executive Order 9066.”

(1) Sandra Cisneros’s “Mericans” is about a young American girl of Mexican descent who is struggling between her cultural heritage and American identity. (2) Cisneros illustrates this through a number of images and ideas. (3) For example, the speaker, Micaela, calls her grandmother “awful,” and seems to resent the woman’s strict views and religious ideals. (4) The speaker also mentions how she and her brother emulate characters from popular American television programs when they play make-believe. (5) Lastly, she describes physically standing outside her family’s church, an act that symbolizes the fact that she feels like an outsider to Mexican culture. (6) Although Micaela is of Mexican descent, she seems to feel a stronger connection to the United States.

Which is the best thesis statement for the entire essay?
While the speaker of Okita’s poem feels strongly about her identity as an American citizen, the speaker of Cisneros’s short story identifies more closely with her Mexican family.
Both Okita’s poem and Cisneros’s short story show that people can feel tension between their cultural heritage and American identity due to racism and discrimination.
The family members in Cisneros’s and Okita’s works play a significant role in the lives of both narrators as they contemplate their place in hostile environments.
Cisneros and Okita rely on imagery to convey their ideas about American identity.

Answer 1

"Cisneros and Okita rely on imagery to convey their ideas about American identity."

This is the best thesis because it directly connects both works and focuses on a clear, supportable literary strategy (use of imagery) to explore the shared theme of American identity.