Analysis

“Coming to America, to clean” is a biographical essay that explores the topic of illegal immigration to the US from Mexico by following the personal story of Antonia, a Mexican woman who lives and works in the US without legal papers.

The sender of the text is Ana Maria Corona who interviewed Antonia, translated, and structured her story. A second sender in the text is Antonia herself, who comes across as credible and reliable in her account of the events.

The receivers of the text were the readers of Harper’s Magazine and San Diego Reader. The content and topic of the text imply some intended receivers are Americans and Mexican immigrants living in the US.

The language of the text is simple and easy to understand. The text includes some Spanish words for authenticity, as the text is the first-person account of the experiences of Antonia. Antithesis and juxtaposition help the sender to convey the situation of illegal immigrants.

The main circumstances explored in the text are the situations and experiences of Mexican illegal immigrants. The text looks at smuggling networks, living conditions in Mexico and the US, and the life of an illegal immigrant.

The intentions the writer has with the text are to raise awareness about what it means to be an illegal immigrant in the US, to expose how smuggling networks work, and to convince readers to empathise with illegal immigrants without blaming them for their choice. To achieve this intentions the writer relies on Antonia’s personal story which appeals to emotions but also employs a series of other language features including different tones, similes, and a casual and personal style of writing.

Further help

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