Judith Cofer (Myth of the Essay

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By replacing such "myths about Latinas" she is confirming her identity as one, and shaping the public perception of that identity. In doing so, she is undoubtedly preserving her conception of herself and her people.

Staples, for his part, is not fighting the stereotypes that follow him as being a threatening influence. Instead, he has simply accepted them and attempts to only ameliorate those who may fell threatened, which the following quotation indicates.

…on late-evening constitutionals along streets less traveled by, I employ what has proved to be an excellent tension-reducing measure: I whistle melodies from Beethoven and Vivaldi and the more popular classical composers. Even steely New Yorkers hunching toward nighttime destinations seem to relax… (Staples).

The problem with this sort of remedy, however, is the loss of identity that such a solution provides. Staples" tactics are essentially akin to the ancient African-American notion of "the pass," in which certain individuals who were light-skinned enough could simply pass for Caucasians.

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By whistling tunes from noted composers -- all of whom are European -- the author is definitely forsaking his own culture, his own heritage, the works of African-American songwriters and composers, and ultimately his own identity. He is attempting to 'fit in', to act as Caucasian as the Caucasian's who are afraid of him, and in doing so forsaking his identity.

It is natural for people of historical minority groups to have to adopt certain measures and modes of behavior to compensate for negative stereotypes endured within America. Yet Cofer's method is by far the better way of doing so, for the simple fact that by vowing to counteract such mistaken notions about her and others like her she is attempting to evoke a change in those very notions. Staples, however, is merely subverting his masculinity, his ethnicity, and any other aspects of him that allow others to regard him as a threat.

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