Almost A Woman

In the autobiography Almost A Woman by Esmeralda Santiago, there are many cultural differences. She feels alienated from the rest of the people in New York or the United States, for that matter. When Esmeralda was thirteen she moved to New York with her family from Puerto Rico. She did not know a word of English nor did she have any idea of what the American culture was like. To top off her ignorance of …

…she was unable to afford things that were more expensive such as nice clothes or jewelry, her peers alienated her. She did not have many friends. Esmeralda Santiago’s autobiography is a great example of how people feel alienated because of their race. The way people stereotyped her is what made her feel alienated. People thought of her differently just because she came from a different background and did not completely understand the American culture.