Prof. Jessica Penner | OL05 | Fall 2020

Isabel Selmo, critique for “Pendeja, you ain’t Steinbeck: My Bronca with fake-ass social justice literature

What I mostly enjoyed was the way she began. she felt that it was important to express how people react to the fact the her Mexican grandfather could be a publicist. She wanted people to know where she was coming from and why she acts the way she does. I also enjoyed that she include Spanish language, she was able to express her emotions in her words and was able to use her native language.

She believed that with her tone in this writing she could express thoughts on people’s comments on Mexicans and that what they are saying is not true. That they are just like every other person in world. That they are smart ad are capable of doing the same that American’s.

Behind her critique of “American Dirt” she was able to portray her message and her point of view of Mexicans. Cummins states that Mexican are poor, with Gurba, saying that her own grandfather was a publicist she was able differ that. Just because they don’t see them with jobs like that in America doesn’t mean that they don’t hvae those jobs in their very own county.

2 Comments

  1. Sarvinoz Erkinova

    Hello Isabel, I like how you explained that Mexicans shoud not be viewed as inferior to Americans as the Cummins portrayed. It is not right and violates human rights of equality. I agree with you saying that it was nice to use Spanish in her writing. It makes her to express her feelings and thoughts more in depth and makes the reading more interesting and creative. But honetly, I did not like that because I feel like she’s making her audience kind of to be Hispanics only and everyone who comprehends English might not get the fullest message from what she has intended.

  2. Mohammed Hashim

    Hello Isabel, I enjoyed reading your critique on Gurba’s work. I liked how you mentioned about her speaking Spanish in her work and it’s true. It’s interesting that she used her native tongue and it makes the story more unique because it all goes to prove that she is from Mexico and it shows credibility.

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