"forerunners of what would one day become the dominant culture"

Upon undertaking a study of immigrant literature, one is almost immediately overwhelmed by the sheer volume and variety of available narratives.  However, as a student is presented with a framework through which to evaluate these stories of the immigrant experience in America, differences among these groups become more obvious.  Though immigration is typically viewed as a journey taken by individuals or families, there is a specific classification related to the movement of larger groups to new lands, known as “national migration”.  Primary examples of national migration include the exodus of the Ancient Jews and the journey of the Pilgrims and American Jews to the “New World”. 

            In the case of the Ancient Jews and the Pilgrims, settlement in a new country included the displacement of native peoples, which established these invading groups as the forerunners of what would one day become the dominant culture.  There are several unique features of these two groups that contributed to their foundations as cultural inventors.  Both the biblical Jews and their English counterparts, the Pilgrims, viewed themselves as God’s “chosen people”, and were motivated primarily by a search for religious freedom, as opposed to the pursuit of economic improvements that would drive the majority of future immigrants. Additionally, each of these groups was led by a religious figurehead (Moses for the Jews and William Bradford for the Pilgrims). After many trying years of wandering in the Egyptian desert, the Ancient Jews arrived in the “Promised Land” of Canaan, where they promptly displaced the Canaanites.  Similarly, upon arrival in America, the Pilgrims ignored the existing land rights of the Native American Indians.  Unlike the numerous immigrant groups that would follow, neither the Jews nor the Pilgrims ever intended to assimilate, choosing instead to establish a new social order for themselves in the midst of foreign lands.  By retaining their strong religious beliefs and avoiding intermarriage with the natives, both groups were successful in maintaining separate identities. 

            As the cultural beliefs and traditions of the Jews and Pilgrims became more firmly established as the dominant culture, they were able to influence other immigrant groups.  As new citizens entered the realm of these recognized groups, and because they were in search of monetary rather than religious gains, these immigrants were forced to assimilate to their surroundings in order to thrive.  As hard work and education were important facets of this “New World”, many immigrants found themselves adopting a more stringent work ethic, or pursuing higher education in an effort to improve their economic prospects.  Understandably, these characteristics were more easily absorbed by the younger generations.  First generation immigrants found this assimilation more difficult for a variety of reasons, as we see in the case of Sara’s father in The Bread Givers.  Thanks to his adherence to the gender bias of the “Old World”, Sara must struggle to convince her father that her sex is irrelevant to her acquisition of an American education. 

            Interestingly, the founding of a dominant culture is not automatically permanent, and this segment must continually strive to maintain power while appearing non-aggressive.  One of the methods by which dominant groups achieve this is through the promotion of an “unmarked” or plain ethnic identity.  A quiet, internalized religion and the absence of any visible God figure contribute to the seemingly bland quality of these dominant groups.  In a pale white world of reserved people, those with different languages, skin tones, or facial features stand out in the crowd, a fact that adds to their status as foreigners.  Unlike the Old World countries where interpersonal relationships and family ties drive daily interaction, the New World values detachment and individualism, and tends to systematize relations among citizens.  Not surprisingly, new immigrants are deeply impressed by the fast-paced, self-centered America they meet upon arrival.  Like Sara’s father, they are often disturbed by what they view as parental disrespect and improper behavior on the part of their children.  As was the case of the Pilgrims during their initial migration to Holland, the influence of the dominant culture on the lives of young people is often the most troubling factor for immigrant parents.  However, this interaction can prove to be a double-edged sword, because efforts to remain separate of the majority are invariably met with suspicion and distrust. 

            Differently, the selection from Hunting Mr. Heartbreak by Jonathan Raban, examines the changing relationship between both American and world culture.  Raban’s article paints a dramatic portrait of the “new” America as a place less stratified by ethnic and cultural differences.  Instead, the author reveals a populace starkly divided on the basis of economic status.  While riding the Macy’s escalator, Raban finds himself surrounded by people “talking in Spanish, Haitian French, Brooklyn, and Russian (346).”  Unified in pursuit of the capitalist manifestation of the American Dream, the individuals share a position as a target audience for marketing executives.  After witnessing and succumbing to the manipulations of the marketplace, the narrator returns to the street, where he is repeatedly struck with the deep division among the “haves” and the “have-nots”.  Raban is troubled by the high-rise world of dreams in which he and his friends exist, and seems to conclude that today’s America is more strongly divided by the uneven distribution of wealth than it ever was by ethnic differences.  Disturbing though it may be, Hunting Mr. Heartbreak is an unflinching and realistic look at the future of our country.  As we journey into the twenty-first century, the relationship of the dominant culture to its population of underlings will become the new immigrant narrative, as the poverty stricken under classes come to view the American Dream as the American Nightmare.  [MT]