Assignment Sheet

Option One: Character’s Linguistic Analysis Essay

For this assignment, you will read Mexican Whiteboy by Matt De La
Peña and take note of how language and identity intersect for the
characters. Your final assignment for this semester will be to write a
character language analysis essay about a character of your choice
from the list below. While you’re reading, you will create character
sheets for each character listed, using the format on the last page.
This will allow you to get an overview for each character, in order to
choose which character you would like to write about. For your
essay, follow the requirements below.

Linguistic Analysis Essay Requirements: https://mattdelapena.com/books/mexican-whiteboy/

1. Your language analysis must focus on just one character, and

contain a thesis (argument/statement) that answers:
a. How does this character’s relationship and use of language shape their identity?
b. How does their language identity affect their relationships with other characters?
c. Does this character switch language use? When and why do they make these
changes?
2. In your essay, be sure to include at least three examples of this character’s use of
language, their thoughts on language differences, and how they see others’ language use.
a. These examples can be quotes or paraphrases, but both need to include page
numbers in this format: (98)
b. Connect these examples to translingualism: explain how this character’s language
identity is fluid and beyond standard practices
3. The sections (or paragraphs/slides) of your essay should be separated by topic
a. For example, if you discuss a character’s inability to speak a language others’ are
speaking and then you discuss their own language use, be sure to keep these ideas
in separate sections to avoid confusion. You can connect these ideas in another
section if needed.
4. Format of this essay can be:
a. Traditional essay form: typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 3 pages
b. Podcast form: audio recorded, at least 6 minutes long
c. Video form: audio and video recorded, at least 6 minutes long
d. Presentation form: visuals and writing on slideshow/Prezi, at least 6 slides
 Option Two: Language Memoir and Reflection

For this assignment, you will read Mexican Whiteboy by Matt De La

Peña and take note of how language and identity intersect for the
characters. Your final assignment for this semester will be to write a
language memoir from the perspective of a character in the text,
discussing their language identity, then you will write a reflection
discussing how their identity can be analyzed though a translingual
lens. While you’re reading, you will create character sheets for each
character listed, using the format on the last page. This will allow you
to get an overview for each character, in order to choose who you
would like to write about. For your memoir, follow the requirements
below.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2815
261-mexican-whiteboy

Memoir and Reflection Requirements:

1. Your language memoir must be in the perspective of just one character, while discussing
their relationship with identity. Take on the persona of your chosen character, and identity
how language shapes their identity and how they would discuss their identity.
2. Memoirs are a narrative genre, and thus your writing should be in first person, should focus
on one major life event that defined their language identity (one you read about in the text),
and should reflect on that event.
3. Be sure to include:
a. Relationships that impacted their language identity
b. Discussion of where/how they grew up and how it affected their identity
c. How others perceived their language use
d. Their relationship to language
4. This can be formatted as:
a. A video narrative, of 3-4 mins, accompanied with an example
b. A written narrative, of 2-3 pages
c. A podcast of at least 3 episodes at 1 minute or longer.
 Option Three: Detailed Relationship Tree

For this assignment, you will read Mexican Whiteboy by Matt De La

Peña and take note of how language and identity intersect for the
characters. Your final assignment for this semester will be create a
detailed relationship tree for either yourself or a character in the
text, explaining how these relationships are affected by language.
While you’re reading, you will create character sheets for each
character listed, using the format on the last page. This will allow
you to get an overview for each character, in order to help you relate
your tree back to the text. For your tree, follow the requirements
below.

https://www.penguinbookshop.com/boo
k/9780440239383

Relationship Tree Requirements:

1. Your tree can focus on your own relationships, or you can create a relationship tree for a
character in Mexican Whiteboy. With either tree, you need to highlight at least three
relationships.
a. If you create a tree of your own relationships, be sure to include at least three
references to the text. You can add these references by showing similarities to a
character in your language identity or how language impacted your identity, or
you can show how your relationships are similar or different because of language.
b. If you create a tree for a character from the text, be sure to include at least two
different types of relationships (familial, platonic, romantic).
2. For each relationship, include:
a. 1-2 sentences about the relationship
b. 1-2 sentences describing how language and language identity impact this
relationship
c. 1-2 sentences describing how this relationship impacts other relationships on the
tree
3. The format for this tree can be digital or hand drawn.
a. For digital resources:
i. https://canva.com/
ii. https://app.diagrams.net/
 Character List and Character Sheet
List of characters to analyze:
• Danny
• Uno
• Sofia
• Liberty

Character Sheet: