LITR 4332 American Minority Literature 2013 Student Midterm Samples midterm assignment #3. Web Highlights

Carolee Osborne

Assimilation: From the Mouth of Babes/ Web Review

1.      Dana Kato

Chasing the American Dream, Living the “American Nightmare”: Defining the Immigrant and Minority Narrative

“However, one trait which might be found in both the immigrant narrative and the minority narrative is that of resistance to assimilation (Obj. 2). With the immigrant narrative there seems to be a game of tug-of-war going on in terms of dealing with the dominant culture. On the one hand, the immigrant wants to be seen as an American, but on the other, he resents the loss of his own culture.”

            Assimilation begins when a person moves to a country, and culture, that is different from anything they have ever known. Often they feel pressured to look, act, and dress as everyone else in an effort to gain peace of mind through acceptance. Dana Kato states that there is a “game of tug-of-war going on in terms of dealing with the dominate culture.” Through assimilation, their culture sometimes becomes lost. However, at times their culture becomes something to celebrate and the people around them enjoy learning and experiencing their culture.

2.    Sandra Murphy

The Distinction between Immigrant and Minority Literature

“Assimilation, research indicates, is usually accomplished within three generations. Sometimes the assimilation process occurs more quickly, particularly among Asian immigrants who are often referred to as the model minority. For many immigrants, however, rapid assimilation is a double edged sword. Although it cuts through the barriers to acceptance by the dominant culture, it often results in painful wounds to the immigrant and the family. … In a sense her assimilation to the dominant culture has made her once more an immigrant—forever out of reach of her family.”

Assimilation can become a source of division between families that are trying to preserve their culture within the dominate culture of which they live. Sandra Murphy explains that assimilation “[makes someone] once more an immigrant- forever out of reach of [their] family”. The family that is left behind can feel as though the person is ashamed of their heritage which causes hurt feelings and resentment. The family may also feel that their heritage might become lost with a new generation if the culture is not practiced by everyone. This “rapid assimilation” can cause a rip in the family that may become irreversible.

3.    Connie Bares 

Immigrant and Minority Narratives and All That Overlaps

“The immigrant narrative can be described as a journey from the “Old World” to the “New World” by leaving behind Old World traditions and embracing New World modern culture.  Most immigrants come to the America seeking the American Dream, in search of a better life or freedom than the one they had in their homeland.  Once in America, immigrants are faced with shock, resistance, exploitation, and discrimination.  … assimilation to the dominant American culture occurs and the immigrants begin to lose their ethnic identity.  Finally the immigrant narrative has a rediscovery of their ethnic identity in the form of nostalgia or pride in their heritage.”

            Connie Bares describes assimilation as “a journey from the ‘Old World’ to the ‘New World’ by leaving behind Old World traditions.” The American dream is parallel to assimilation in which a person must assimilate to the dominate culture if they have any hope of achieving the American dream. Although the dominate culture tries to consume and decimate any other culture, people tend to move back to their roots and embrace the heritage that the dominate culture attempted to destroy through the “rediscovery of their ethnic identity in the form of nostalgia or pride in their heritage”. When people take pride in their culture and heritage, everyone benefits through the learning experience that takes place when their culture is shared by others.