From his literary work The Performance of Becoming Human, Chilean-American author Daniel Borzutzky uses grotesque diction to express societal issues such as violence state-sanctioned, inequity and immigration. Initially, after reading the author's story, I expected to come across a work of literature that would express the social justice issues of Chile and the United States, as well as the ambiguity that accompanies biculturalism. Although Borzutzky's work has these elements, I found his language extremely intense. Specifically, in his poem “The Performance of Becoming Human,” he addresses the issue of refugee immigration to a new country and the inhumane treatment they suffered. The author goes on to paint a vivid picture of immigration, stating, “I move underground, I don't sleep, and I try to cross the border from one sick part of the world to another” (p. 15 ). Borzutzky here emphasizes the dehumanization of human beings that occurs in various countries around the world. The imagery he offers is hellish, as he gives the image of human beings moving underground from one place to another, as if they were traveling from one hell to another on earth. Considering this, I think the author is realistic. Not only does he express what critics would term "things best left unsaid", but he expresses the darkness that surrounds human beings in their daily lives and emphasizes the truth through his choice of words. Similarly, the following quote shows how Borzutzky uses the image of bodies to highlight injustices within our society: “They cut up two dozen bodies last night and today I have to go get my laundry” (p. 19). At this point in the work, I connected with the author's impersonal choice of words. Borzutzky used the word "body" rather than human beings or people to show how our society ignores the lives of individuals after their suffering and death. We go about our daily lives and “pick up our laundry,” as the author puts it, instead of putting their stories on paper, transcribing the horrible truths of our history, and recognizing the injustice. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Moving on to his work In the Blazing Cities of Your Rotten Mouth, Borzutzky discusses the privatization of urban areas such as parts of Chile and Chicago, in which inequity plagues the city. I found the story itself extremely animalistic as the author provides quotes such as "I dream of a giant parasite to feed on the infested bones of decaying citizens" (p. 24). Once again, the author's images of carnivorous organisms help to shine a light on the darkness surrounding the privatization of the economy and the economic impact on ordinary citizens. Additionally, it is important to note the apocalyptic element in Borzutzky's diction throughout his book. At the end of In the Blazing Cities, the author proclaims: “And this is where the story should end.” But bedtime stories about the end of the world don't stop where they're supposed to. They end awkwardly, in the middle of a mess that probably wasn't worth it to begin with” (p. 24). Ultimately, the author recognizes the fact that not all stories have a happy ending, reality is not a fairy tale, and he writes with this in mind in his book. Overall, I connected with Daniel Borzutzky's work and remained engaged throughout The Performance of Becoming. Human in..