I Want to Be Miss America, by Julia Alvarez, addresses the problem of trying to fit in. In the story Alvarez struggles to be an American. Her Hispanic culture becomes a problem with being part of the American society. Alvarez and her sisters try to make themselves fit it into the American society, instead of celebrating the differences of their culture and being proud of who they are. In the beginning of the story the author starts off by saying, “As young teenagers in our new country, my three sisters and I searched for clues on how to look as if we belonged here”(56). From the first sentence, it shows Alvarez is trying to change her appearance and the way she acts, in order for her to fit in. I do not identify with her strong need to change her appearance and the way she acts for her to fit in. I also come from a Hispanic culture and unlike her I have never tried to change to make me seem as if I belonged in the United States. I’ve been always proud of my culture and I have never tried to hide it. I have always tried to be myself and for me that has worked because I never have felt as if I don’t fit in. That does not mean I haven’t changed through the years of living in the United States, but not because I was trying to fit in. For example, since the first day I heard hip-hop music I haven’t stop listening to it. I haven’t stop listening to it not because most everyone in the United States like it but because I like it.
One of the reasons people are not motivated to express and celebrate their differences, but simply try to fit in is because they are scared of being judged. People are so afraid of what others might think of them. This makes people uncomfortable to express and share their differences. The fear of being judged limits people's willingness to share things about their culture or religion or just anything that makes them different from everybody else. Most of the times people think they have to be perfect and once they see that their differences do not fit with what society says to be perfect they do not want to share them. What people do not realize is that they are being judged anyway and that everyone