By employing literary tools, the author embeds the theme or meaning into separate elements that make up the totality of the literary piece. Some of the more common tools of the author's craft are: character development, setting, mood, plot, point of view, figurative language, allegory, symbolism, and irony. Cisneros employs narration and characterization to develop the theme of identity and cultural heritage. The protagonist, who is of Mexican descent, grapples with her identity as an American and her longing for a connection to her Mexican roots. The feeling of being an outsider in one's own country is a recurring theme in Sandra Cisneros' "Mericans" and Dwight Okita's "Response to Executive Order 9066." Both authors explore this theme by
