Heritage and Multicultural American Identities — Test
Question 13 • CMS 2026-2027 English III CREDIT RECOVERY
Read the excerpt from “Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry.” My friend had concluded that if he took his language and culture out of his poetry, he stood a better chance of receiving a fellowship. He took out his native language, the poetic patois of our reality, the rich mixture of Spanish, English, pachuco and street talk which we know so well. In other words, he took the tortillas out of his poetry, which is to say he took the soul out of his poetry. Which best explains how Anaya’s word choice establishes his voice in the excerpt?
Answer
A
Anaya compares “tortillas” to “the soul” of a Mexican-American writer to express his opinion that only those writers who exist outside of the mainstream are worthy of an audience.
B
Anaya compares “tortillas” to “the soul” of a Mexican-American writer, emphasizing his belief that writers must be allowed to express their culture and heritage.
C
Anaya compares “tortillas” to “the soul” of a Mexican-American writer, demonstrating the ability of these writers to combine Spanish and English in their writing.
D
Anaya compares “tortillas” to “the soul” of a Mexican-American writer to persuade people to read more literature by writers that come from mixed heritages and diverse cultures.
Explanation
Anaya describes the mixture of Spanish, English, and street language as part of his friend’s poetic reality. By calling tortillas the “soul” of the poetry, he emphasizes that cultural heritage is essential to the writer’s voice and should not be removed to gain acceptance. This supports the idea that writers must be allowed to express their culture and heritage.
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