Final answer:
The speaker's attitude shifts from one of confusion and exclusion as a child to fierce self-assertion and proactive engagement with his identity as an adult. The transition involves embracing knowledge and ideas as tools for change and creating a new narrative that surpasses traditional stoic depictions of cultural heroes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The speaker's attitude towards his identity in 'Citizen, Illegal' by José Olivarez undergoes a significant transformation from boyhood to adulthood. As a child, the speaker struggles with feelings of exclusion and differentness, a common experience illustrated through the words of authors like Antiguan American Jamaica Kincaid and African American Ralph Ellison. This is echoed in the poem's reflection on schoolyard rejections and a growing awareness of racial and social divisions.
In adulthood, this awareness turns into a fierce assertion of identity, illustrated through the man with Aztec Indigenous garb holding papers instead of weapons, symbolizing the power of intellect and ideas as the true 'weaponry.' The speaker's mature identity encompasses not only a sense of self that acknowledges the internalized struggles but also recognizes the importance of knowledge and thought leadership in asserting one's place in society.
Lastly, referencing historical figures and their traditionally stoic depictions, the poem suggests a need to embrace a more expressive, dynamic understanding of self and culture, transcending past limitations and creating one's narrative through proactive engagement with issues like immigration.