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TPCASTT: Poem analysis: “Immigrants” by Pat Mora
Title, Paraphrase, Connotation, Attitude, Shift(s), Title revisited, Theme.
Title: Initial reaction
to the title
(2 sent.)
Paraphrase
(2- 3 sent.)
Connotation of some
of the words
(2 words/phrases
with description)
Attitude: speaker’s
attitude toward the
subject (evidence?)
(2 sent., at least 1
example)
Shift: is there a
change in mood or
tone? (1 sent.)
Title: look at the title
again – what does it
say/mean now (1 s.)
Theme: what is the
speaker trying to say
about the way the
world sometimes
works (at least
4 sent.)
The poem will likely have something to do with people coming
in to America from another country – maybe a family. It might
be about the journey they make and what they leave behind
or bring with them.
The poem describes immigrant parents in the U.S. putting
their young babies to bed. They use a lot of American
imagery, like the flag, football, hot dogs and apple pie, and
they give the kids traditional American names like “Bill and
Daisy” (Mora 3). But when the babies sleep, the parents talk
to each other in their native language about whether people
will like their “fine American” children (14).
 “mashed hot dogs and apple pie” (2) – foods are
general American symbols because they recall
cookouts and “As American as Apple Pie”
 “hallo, babee, hallo” (8) – sounds like someone has a
thick accent speaking English, written like it sounds
 “blonde dolls that blink blue / eyes” (4-5) – blonde hair
and blue eyes is supposed to be the ideal or “best” look
for a doll or person
Speaker seems to remain distant and simply describes the
scene, but the way it’s written, the poem sounds sympathetic
to immigrant parents’ worries and fears. Repeating “whisper”
(9, 10) lets the poem quiet down toward the end, and
describing their worries as “that dark / parent fear” (11-12)
makes it sound like speaker has heard this same type of
worry before.
“whisper in Spanish or Polish” (9) – this is the first time you
see something that indicates life outside of America, and here
the parents change from cheery and happy for their baby to
worried and upset about the future of their baby.
“Immigrants” now brings to mind how parents from other
countries immigrate to the U.S. for the sake of their children.
The poem describes the worries that immigrant parents have
about their children being accepted and labeled as
“American.” These parents use American ideas, toys, and
even names with the goal of having their kids be just like
every other American child. The children are by definition
American, but sometimes others might be biased and say
they aren’t “American enough” because of accents or names.
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Parts of their parents’ original culture might influence public
opinion.