Two Ways to Belong in America --- Style and structure

 

Two Ways to Belong in America

Style and structure

1.     What basis for comparison exists between Mukherjee and her sister? Where in the essay does Mukherjee establish this basis?

Answer:  The different experiences immigrants go through when leaving their native countries and starts living in a foreign country. She establishes this basis starting on the fourth paragraph of the essay wherein she stated “After 36 years as a legal immigrant in this country, she clings passionately to her Indian citizenship and hopes to go home to India when she retires.”

2.  Is this essay a point-by-point or subject-by-subject comparison? Why do you think Mukherjee chose the strategy she did?

Answer: Mukherjee uses point-by-point pattern, for she compares and contrasts about various points not just about few facts. She tries to make readers understand how she and her sister, Mira, have opposite views regarding the immigrants in America and citizenship by showing how much they used to live similarly in order to emphasize the major difference between their thoughts. I think she chose this strategy to talk about various points.

3.  What points does Mukherjee discuss for each subject? Should she have discussed any other points?

Answer: Mukherjee writes the differences between her and her sister’s arriving time, this is one point. Then describe their stories of marriage to be the second point. She could have discussed about their college life when they were university students.

4.  What transitional words and phrases does Mukherjee use to signal shifts from one  point to another?

Answer:  Mukherjee used a year later, then, nearly and etc.

5.   How effective is Mukherjee’s conclusion? Does it summarize the essay’s major points? Would another strategy be more effective?

Answer:  Mukherjee’s conclusion is very effective as it simply summarizes the essay’s major points. I don’t think other strategy would be more effective.