complete sample essay 2 

Across the ages, storytelling has survived as the mode of discourse for the history of the world’s peoples. The Immigrant Narrative, synonymous with the American Dream Narrative, is, by its very nature, an extension of the time-honored tradition of storytelling, a blend of the literary and the cultural as a means of defining who we were, who we are, and who we become.  Within the complex, multi-layered structures of the immigrant narrative and its counterpart, the minority narrative, are elements of diversity, resistance, and assimilation that produce similarities but also differences in the story of the nation’s historical, literary, and cultural heritage. 

            Just as the literary narrative follows a distinct pattern of development, the immigrant narrative unfolds in various stages. . . . What can be ascertained, at least from the immigrant’s point of view, is that the search for a better life, whether it be in terms of economics, religious or political freedom, forms a fundamental part of the narrative, and America becomes the symbol of opportunity, the “promised land,” so to speak.  In Soap and Water, the idea of America as a “’golden country’” emerges in the dreams of a young Jewish refugee, “nurtured on hopes of America” who seeks the fulfillment of her dream through the pursuit of an education (VA 109). Yet the path to success is not without hardship and disappointment.  Inevitably, the woman discovers the harsh reality behind the promise of the dream, a reality of slavish labor, alienation, and rejection.  Despite her valiant efforts, she must face the ultimate humiliation at the hands of the dominant culture, as she confronts the stereotype of the “dirty immigrant” in a system where being poor and foreign are often the ultimate sins. However, her indomitable spirit prevails, as she negotiates the pitfalls on her way to claiming part of the prize, reinforcing a basic tenet of the American Dream: individual effort counts and is instrumental in achieving the dream.  As such, the story satisfies the literary and cultural aspects of the narrative, as it combines the quest of the individual (Romanticism) with the sociological elements of social mobility, class discrimination and exploitation.

            Undeniably, Soap and Water offers a glimpse of the immigrant narrative from the point of view of the individual.  In Mohr’s The English Lesson, the pursuit of education as a means to a better life remains a central concern, yet the perspective broadens to present a microcosm of America in which the multiple aspects of the immigrant narrative emerge in the classroom setting.   Mrs. Hamma, a third generation German American, represents the immigrant narrative to completion.  Hers is a story of successful assimilation to a culture not unlike the one left behind two generations previously.  Her students, a diverse group of first generation immigrants, present a myriad of responses and expectations.  Lali, for instance, a young women used to the protection of an extended family in a “sheltered environment,” finds herself thrust into a world at odds with her traditional upbringing, a world involving the development of an identity and life separate from that of being simply Rudi’s wife (IA 28).  In effect, Lali’s experiences expose her to change and the potential for conflict as the values of the old world meet those of the new, creating a shift in dynamics in terms of family, gender roles, and personal and social relationships.  As Lali’s situation indicates, the immigrant experience is not without risk and will often involve some kind of loss, sacrifice even, before anything is gained.

The idea of loss and gain is further exemplified in the situation of the Polish professor, who in appearance as well as educational attainment reflects the dominant culture and its values.  As implied in Mrs. Hamma’s favorable response, the professor may find a level of acceptance denied his classroom colleagues simply because he possesses the appropriate social markers that will assist him in the assimilation process.  Essentially, his situation reflects a temporary status, one that overcoming the language barrier will eventually resolve, reinforcing the idea that an integral part of the narrative involves loss and hardship, but also hope. . . .

            While the Immigrant Narrative involves commonality and differences in terms of attitude and experience, it does reflect a predominant factor: all immigrants, regardless of their history, are voluntary participants in the pursuit of the American Dream.  For minorities groups such as Native Americans and African Americans, however, the process becomes one of forced participation in a system that denies them an identity, a voice.  Consequently, what represents one person’s dream rapidly dissolves into another’s nightmare. 

             For Native Americans and African Americans the cost of someone else’s dream results in cultural, economic, and social deprivation.  In Erdrich’s American Horse, the marginalization of the Native Americans and the imposition of one culture’s values on another manifests itself in the conflict between Albertine American Horse and the social services, symbolic of the DC. In seeking to deprive a child of his mother and vice versa, the dominant culture assumes an attitude of righteousness in determining what is best for the child, disregarding, without any hint of human sentiment, the emotional attachments and dynamics within the family itself.  In resisting the authorities, both mother and child expose the myth behind the “all-American” notion of liberty for all; ironically, a liberty that extends only to “all” those who assimilate and reflect the attitudes, values, and lifestyles of the DC.

Elsewhere, in Baldwin’s No Name in the Street, the narrator’s resistance to conformity and assimilation surfaces in his political and social activism.  Essentially failed by a “barbarous” system viewed as the betrayer, the narrator recognizes that the ultimate force for change comes from within and thus begins a journey, a crusade, for the betterment of his people.  In the process, as he climbs the social ladder, he interacts with the DC, using the system to serve his purpose but subsequently experiencing a separation from his roots and a growing sense of guilt.  Ironically, his success serves to alienate him from the people who are at the root of his cause, a minority group already marginalized. . . .

Somewhere “in between” the immigrant and minority narratives, the story of the ambivalent minority emerges, a story in which Mexican Americans and Afro-Caribbeans demonstrate characteristics and experiences common to both the immigrant and minority narratives. . .