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Susan Watson

Professor Batty

English 28

1 May 2018

Culture Affects Women’s Empowerment

How the Garcia girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez is the story of four sisters often

referred to as “the Garcia girls.” In this novel, the main characters experience a drastic change in

culture. This culture deeply effects their sense of empowerment. One can see how these

characters are similar to any person who is effected by culture. It is clear that certain cultures

view female empowerment differently.

- Sentence that introduces sub- topic 1 in the United States of America, the Garcia girls

were introduced to a new culture that emphasized independence and freedom.

- Sentence that introduces sub-topic 2 The view of female sexuality was looked at

differently in the culture of the United states as opposed to that of the Dominican

Republic. This was an opportunity for the Garcia girls to become more open about their

sexuality.

- Sentence that introduces sub-topic3 This new culture also allowed them to date without

having to hide or sneak around.

They experienced a big change in their lives. Although many could disagree that culture effects

female empowerment, the American culture helped the Garcia girls become independent,

become more open about their sexuality, and interact differently with men.
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American culture affects the Garcia girls empowerment as independent women. The

Garcia girls were chaperoned in the Dominican Republic. However, when they entered America

they did not have to worry about being chaperoned anymore. Many could argue that this new

culture in the United States had nothing to do with their empowerment. However; it is clear that

there are many things that they were now able to do simply as a result of this new culture.

Yolanda who’s nickname is Yoyo, the oldest daughter, is asked to deliver a speech at the

Teacher’s Day address at her school assembly.. She writes a speech her father feels is shows no

gratitude and is improper and disrespectful (145). His wife disagrees with him. In the novel it

states, “soon he would be surrounded by a houseful of independent American women” (146).

This quote shows women’s empowerment by Yoyo standing up to her father, which she would

not have done in the Dominican Republic. In that country the father has the final say. Her father

is very angry that he is losing control because they are now in America and the culture is

different. What is culture exactly ? According to the author Ruth A. Wienclaw “Culture is a

complex system of meaning and behavior that is socially transmitted and that defines a common

way of life for a group or society. Culture includes the behavior patterns, arts, beliefs,

institutions, and other products of human work and thinking of the society or group”(3). This

article talks about how to promote gender equality and empowerment of women. In the story,

institutions like Yoyo’s school teach them beliefs of the new American culture. In the Dominican

Republic Yoyo was seen as a bad student but in America she was viewed as a smart independent

women which cause her to improve her grades. The new American culture also helped the girls

be freer sexually.

The Garcia girls were more open about their sexuality in America. Many things influence

the garcia girls experience in the United States. According to the Encyclopedia of Latin
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American History and Culture “The experiences of Latinos and Latinas in the United States

vary, shaped by factors such as citizenship and political status, race and indigeneity, class and

employment, gender and sexuality, religion, and the region of the country in which they settle”

(Garcia). All of these factors affected the girls. In the Dominican Republic the girls could not

talk about their female bodies with their father in the next room because it isn't ladylike. There

were customs about how women should carry themselves. For example, Yolanda was

discouraged from being a tomboy and playing with her male cousins. In the Dominican

Republic, she once received a cowgirl outfit with a skirt that matched her male cousin Mundin's

cowboy outfit. The text states, “It was high time I got over my tomboy phase and started acting

like a young lady senorita “ (228). Being ladylike is more important in the Dominican Republic

than in the United States. However in America they became independent and their gender and

sexuality rules were affected by moving. In addition, they could have boyfriends.

They can interact differently with men. In the Dominican Republic, Yoyo ran away from

home to be with a man. Conversely, in America her and a different man got married. One time

Yoyo wanted to go and pick some guava fruits and she had to be chaperoned by one of her male

cousins. In the Dominican Republic, she couldn't go anywhere without a male accompaniment.

At the beginning, Yolanda gets lost while picking the guavas, and gets a flat tire. The male

cousin went to go get help. While she waited by the car, two men came and asked if she needed

help. She is scared and they ask if she is an American. She speaks English to them, and the men

do not understand, and decide that she is American. The novel states,“She has been too

frightened to carry out any strategy, but now a road is opening up before her. She clasps her

hands on her chest—she can feel her pounding heart—and nods. Then, as if the admission itself

loosens her tongue, she begins to speak, English, a few words, of apology at first, then a great
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flood of explanation” (20). This is ironic because her trip to the Dominican Republic was to help

her with her Dominican identity. However, it is clear that she has become an American to the

Dominican men.

In conclusion, American culture affects how the Garcia girls became empowered

because they were more independent, they were more open about their sexuality, they could have

boyfriends and interact differently with men. They were not chaperoned anymore.

Works Cited

Alvarez, Julia.How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Algonquin books of Chapel Hill. 2010

Garcia, Maria Cristina. "Hispanics in the United States." Encyclopedia of Latin American

History and Culture, edited by Jay Kinsbruner and Erick D. Langer, 2nd ed., vol. 3,

Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008, pp. 696-728. Gale Virtual Reference Library,

http://library.lavc.edu:2102/apps/doc/CX3078902799/GVRL?u=lavc_main&sid=GVRL

&xid=87469da9. Accessed 2 May 2018.

Wienclaw, Ruth A. "Poverty and Gender." Research Starters: Sociology (Online Edition), 2013.

EBSCOhost,

library.lavc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&

AN=89185636&site=eds-live.