In "Art of the Contact Zone", Pratt defines "contact zone" as a place where cultures meet and fuse, leading to concepts such as "auto-ethnography, transculturation, critique, collaboration, bilingualism, mediation, parody, denunciation, imaginary dialogue, vernacular expression" (Pratt 592). In most cases, an asymmetrical relation of power is often observed among the cultures within a "contact zone", examples of slavery and colonialism were used in Pratt's essay. This asymmetric relationship frequently leads to problems such as, oppression, "miscomprehension", "incomprehension", and "absolute heterogeneity of meaning", all express the effects of long-term contact and intractable, unequal conflict. Intertexualy speaking, Anzaldua's ideas of "contact zone" are derived from those of Pratt, ways in which the dominants influencing the subordinates. However, Anzaldua's ideas of "contact zone" are more specific and concentrate on a smaller scale of interaction, for example interaction between the Chicano, the Spanish and the American, interaction between male Chicano (the hegemonic group) and the Chicanes (the subordinate), and also interaction between religions. By examining the term "Contact Zone" on a smaller scale, using her real life experiences, perhaps providing such examples and explaining how different aspects of "contact zone" at work in each example would allow the audience to understand more on how literally expression of "contact zone" can only be understood.
             "If you want to be American, speak 'American'. If you don't like it, go back to Mexico where you belong"(Anzaldua 128). The Chicano children are constantly suffered from such harsh comment. Getting punish for speaking the native tongue, misunderstanding as "talking back" when only trying to help ...