Between Two Worlds: Mixed-Race Ostracism by the Minority Group in Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, Matt De La Peña’s Mexican Whiteboy, and Heidi Durrow’s The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Abstract

In the three texts that will be discussed, the authors chose young protagonists who come to terms with the contradictions their background creates. In some ways, each of the novels presents the idea of mixed-race as being a problem to overcome. However, the authors’ representations of the problematic nature of growing up between cultures and trying to fit in also highlight the mono-racial community of colors’ perception of mixed-race individuals. Bi- or multi-racial individuals may be ridiculed by their own mono-racial family members and peers for a perceived inauthenticity to an established racial norm. The authors of the three texts share the experiences of bi-racial individuals on journeys of self-discovery, as the main characters untangle the intersection of cultural differences to construct their own identities.