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Midterm2 (2013 midterm2 assignment) Sample Student Midterm Answers 2013 #1: Essays on New World Immigrants |
LITR 4333
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Tracie Estrada
3 Nov. 2013
New World Immigrants Create a New
Narrative
New World Immigrants cannot be categorized
neatly into columns. Their characteristics and circumstances differ not only
within their unique cultures but cross cultural. As seen with Old World
Immigrants, assimilation becomes exhibited but resistance to the dominant
culture is displayed more predominantly with New World Immigrants.
Many characteristics of New World
Immigrant narratives make them comparable with minority narratives.
Additionally, geographic and historic
elements contribute to the contrast between New World Immigrants versus Old
World.
Resistance is the common thread that unites
New World Immigrant and minority narratives together. Both narratives describe
cultures that contrast or oppose the dominant culture, whereas with traditional
or Old World Immigrants submerge themselves. This attitude of resistance is
apparent in “The English Lesson”, by Nicholasa Mohr, when the students are
introducing themselves they include their plans for American citizenship with
the exception of Diego Torres. He
expresses the fact that not only does he not want to be a citizen, but he plans
to make money in order to return to the Dominican Republic which is where is
allegiance lies (25). This contrast many
immigrant narratives, especially “model immigrants”, who want to become a cog in
the wheel of America.
Perhaps one of the reasons for resistance or
the negative view New World Immigrants have in regards to American culture comes
from the historical background their home country has with the United States.
According to Dr. White’s website, the 1950s-60s were a tumultuous time between
U.S. and Cuban relations, during this time, the U.S. was involved in an invasion
of their island. Junot Diaz eludes
to this fact in “How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie”, the
narrator explains about the neighbor who has canisters in his apartment, then
when one breaks the smell remind his mother of “the year the United States
invaded your island” (277). Again, previously mentioned Diego Torres reflects
this attitude with his confession stating that American own the majority of the
sugar canes in his own country which forces him to come here to make money
(Mohr, 25). Historical relational background determines the perception these
Dominican and Cuban immigrants have of the U.S. which contributes to their
hesitancy to assimilate.
Geographically speaking, New World
Immigrants come from locations that are close to America which differs from Old
World Immigrants whose home country is across the globe. This close proximity
contributes their objection to assimilation. As Dr. White’s website explains,
“nearness of home country makes break with old world and old identity less
complete” and demonstrated within their narratives is a nostalgic attitude
toward their county. In “Visitors,
1965”, by Oscar Hijuelos, Alejo entertains his fellow Cubans with political
discussions, “political talk about Cuba always les to nostalgic talk, and soon
Alejo’s friends would soften up and bend like orchid vines, glorying in the lost
joys of childhood” (312). New World
Immigrants are still very connected to the political and economic circumstances
within their home countries.
Due to the proximity of their home country
to the U.S., New World Immigrants bring a large amount of their culture to this
country. This acculturation, a mixing of their culture and the dominant culture.
In “Silent Dancing”, by Judith Oritz Cofer, specifically when the narrator
describes her shopping trip with her mother, and the products they purchase
which are a mix of trusted Hispanic brand names and those that are American
made, although the names of “Colgate and Palmolive” were pronounced in Spanish
(182). Two cultures intermingling
introduces New World Immigrants and the dominate culture to each other.
Even though resistance occurs often in both
minority and New World Immigrants, assimilation is present. In “To Da-Duh, In
Memoriam”, by Paule Marshall, the young girl listens to her Da-Duh critique life
in New York in comparison to things that can be found in Barbados, but instead
of appreciating the contrasting view she easily dismisses her grandmother. She
states, “looking up, I studied her closely, sensing my chance, and then I told
her, describing at length and with as much as I could summon not only what snow
in the city was like, but what it would be like here, in her perennial summer
kingdom” (373). The narrator has become
fully assimilated within the dominate culture that her connection with that
world is gone and making her grandmother feel like her world was small in
comparison becomes more of a priority than reconnection.
Lastly, the presence of prejudice is
noticeable in New World Immigrant narratives, much like minority narrative.
According to Dr. White’s website, Haitians as an immigration group are highly
discriminated against partly because of the color code and historical background
with the U.S. As evident in Edwidge Danticat’s “Children of the Sea”, one of the
shipmates was in a prior group of Cubans, and while the Coast Guard accepted the
Cubans into Miami they “sent him back to Haiti” (101). Additionally, this
narrative demonstrates that Haitians are discriminated against by similar
Afro-Caribbean cultures. The refugee
states, referring to Bahamians, “They treat Haitians like dogs in the Bahamas, a
woman says. To them, we are not human. Even though their music sounds like ours.
Their people look like ours. Even though we had the same African fathers who
probably crossed these same seas together” (104). Haitians struggles are much
like minorities, in some cases more so.
New World Immigrants have more in common
with minority narratives than Old World. They go through much of the same trials
that minorities of the U.S. experience. However, like the Old World Immigrant,
New World Immigrants’ narrative tells their origin story. Their struggles with
assimilation differ from Old World because their home countries are closer. Only
time will tell if this yet is another phase in American immigration like groups
that have gone before, or if these attitudes will change the country forever.
