Borderlands and Beyond

In Borderlands/ La Frontera, Chicana theorist and activist Gloria Anzaldua introduces the idea of a "mestiza" consciousness. She also talks, at length, about the concept of "borderlands."

Spend some time further researching the mestiza and borderlands concepts.

Do you think these two theoretical concepts can be applied to Julia Alvarez's novel? How and where? If not, why not?