Kimberly Dru Pritchard

May 31, 2006

Web Highlight – Student Midterms

Midterm Assignment: (Taken from Summer 2004, LITR 5733)

Write a complete essay that applies the concept of “narrative” as a literary and cultural category to the immigrant narrative, the minority narrative, and points between.

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.

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 woman 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.

What becomes apparent is that the story of America is one of voluntary and involuntary participation in a dream that instills wonder and hope along with anger and despair. In exploring the differences between the narratives, we learn of the nation’s rich, diverse, and sometimes tragic history. As new narratives unfold, it will be interesting to discover how much has changed and if the Dream remains as elusive as ever. [YH]

Kim's commentary:

Sample Essay #2 provides an excellent overview of the immigrant experience found in the narratives “Soap and Water” and “The English Lesson.”  This essay provides insight into the contradictory and elusive nature of the American Dream experienced by the immigrant. Furthermore, the idea of “loss and survival” is also addressed, and this, of course, becomes a dominant theme in immigrant as well as minority literature.

Sample Essay #4

The English Lesson begins with an instructor speaking in an encouraging and diplomatic tone to a class of non-native English speakers.  Mohr uses this teacher’s characterization to exemplify the “ideal” educational process in America whereby mutual respect/tolerance is displayed; also, in this classroom setting, the students’ motivation to learn English (stage 4 of the traditional immigrant narrative) is matched by the instructor’s goals of assisting her students in grasping Basic English in order to rid themselves of their inferior markers.  A former student adequately explains this concept; she writes, “Mrs. Hamma was not only teaching English to the students, but she also tried to teach them the ‘correct way’ of speaking.  It is not enough to know the language, you must also speak like the Americans to gather acceptance.”  For, Mrs. Hammas knows that in order to gain acceptance and flourish economically in America, the dominant culture has to bestow credibility to the immigrant’s usage of speech.  Thus, if he/she is unable to speak standard American English, regardless of her/his schooling, the opportunities to advance will likely diminish

Still, although many critics of Mohr’s The English Lesson easily discuss the expansive difference of perspective between Diego Torres and Stephen Paczkowski, I assert that the real tension in this story exists between Lali and her husband.  Many sociological studies prove that a woman’s immigration from a patriarchal society, in which women are restricted by their gender and treated like pieces of property by their husbands, to a democratic society proves to be more beneficial for her and less positive for the husband, as he often loses authority.  As Lali becomes more fluent in English, total dependence on her husband will likely decrease.  Towards the end of the story, Rudi begins to lament his decision to marry Lali (IA 32).  For, as she steadies herself to climb the American social ladder by assimilating into the mainstream American society and ridding herself of undesirable cultural markers, Rudi will remain marginalized by his lack of English speaking skills.  Not only does her aspiration to comprehend and speak the English language empower Lali, but her sense of self-sufficiency and motivation to overcome the odds prove that she has taken a personal responsibility as a means of rapidly assimilating into the American society.

Kim's commentary:

Sample Essay #4 gives a different perspective on the immigrant experience than does the previous midterm.  One significant element of this essay is the author’s inferential statement regarding Lali and her husband’s relationship in “The English Lesson.”  Although Lali and her husband attempt to assimilate into American society, it is clear that Rudi resents his wife’s motivation and ambition to educate and refine herself which will, in turn, marginalize him.

Midterm Assignment (taken from Fall 2003 undergraduate class)

Assignment: Write an essay centering on the following questions and also addressing the sub-points below.

How successfully, and in what ways, does the Immigrant Narrative (as presented by this course’s texts) provide a yardstick or criterion for investigating American multicultural identities and literature?

Specifically, referring to texts specified below, how well does the Immigrant Narrative or American Dream story provide materials for comprehending and evaluating the behaviors and values of the dominant culture, of minority cultures, and of other cultures that may fall or move back and forth between immigrant and minority status?

Student Midterm:

The Immigrant Narrative is an easy way to evaluate the vast cultures in America without having to tiptoe around the idea of cultural difference and deference.  Studying the narrative also shows how many American ideals were created which also helps us observe and better understand the dominant and minority cultures.  The goal of early immigrants is very similar to the goal of immigrants crossing over today.  In fact, the immigrant narrative has become the “American Dream” – the thing every American wants to reach for (objective 1: story of immigration as a fundamental narrative of American lit. and culture).  Splashed across billboards and t.v. screens we are told to “be the best we can be”, “reach for the stars”, and be a little more “like Mike” – the idea being to better our station in life, make it rich, be known, on top of the world, and thus be free of worry.  By looking at the Immigrant Narrative it can be seen where many of these ideas were developed and how the idea of separation from the “old world” and assimilation of the “new” was seen as the way to reaching this better station.  Reading the immigrant narrative and the minority narrative makes it easier for us to step back from the rush of our culture and see how we became and understand the struggle of those we see as “others”.

One’s acceptance into the American culture relates directly to this idea of assimilation.  The faster assimilation occurs the faster acceptance is reached.  In order to reach assimilation the “old world” has to be severed leaving behind “markings” of that culture.  As stated in a previous midterm posting, “The first stage is leaving the "Old World". For the immigrant, leaving the "Old World" is an aspiration. There is a sense of running from the old to the new.”  The idea of assimilation also shows how the dominant belief of superiority has been created (ethnocentrism) – if one has to separate from their old culture and blend into the new culture to have acceptance then one culture must be better than the other, right?  A major theme throughout the narratives linking to the idea of assimilation is that of assimilation of appearance.  (If one looks, smells, and sounds like an American—they must be American.)  As shown in Yezierska’s “Soap and Water”, to be clean and “kept” is synonymous with acceptance.  The dean of the college decided to keep her diploma because of her “personal appearance” and said she wasn’t suited to be a teacher (role model) to children – who were to be taught how to fit in as well.  The emphasis on soap seems to be showing the importance of washing away the old world.   The idea of assimilation through appearance is also seen in Mohr’s “The English Lesson” through Mrs. Hamma the teacher of the Basic English class.  Mrs. Hamma was not only teaching English to the students, but also tried to teach them the “correct way” of speaking – which is an attempt to get rid of their “markings”.  It is not enough to know the language -- you must also speak like the Americans to gather acceptance.  Mrs. Hamma also shows the importance of dress, manner, and pronunciation through her approval of the professor of music – she showed the class through her enthusiasm that she approved because she knew he was of a higher class and would assimilate easier – thus assimilation of appearance is seen as better.  The dominant culture still makes these distinctions today.  I work as a security guard for Space Center Houston and just the other day a fellow officer when telling me about a guest who had perturbed him made sure he mentioned that he “smelled funny” and that he “sounded like he only knew three words of English”.  I think sadly this is our idea of hierarchy.  My fellow officer believed himself to be better than the gentleman because he belonged.  Although not all the dominant culture act in this manner or carry the same beliefs, I believe it is evident that it is very important to separate from such “markings” in order to fit in fully, not be marked as “other”, and reach the “American Dream” (there are exceptions of course).  This is not to say that immigrants to not resist assimilation, merely that they do not continue to resist after a couple of generations.

Kim's commentary:

This student’s essay hits the proverbial nail on the head when it comes to identifying the elements of the immigrant narrative through “Soap and Water” and “The English Lesson.”  This portion of the essay focuses on the dominant culture’s obsession with appearances and how this relates to assimilation.  The points this writer make are apropos in today’s world since the concept of “keeping up appearances” seems to be the key to success in the eyes of many.