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Midterm2 (2013 midterm2 assignment) Sample Student Midterm Answers 2013 #1: Research Report Starts |
LITR 4333
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Jo Ann Pereira
What Do You Do for a Living?
When I enrolled in American Immigrant Literature, it was
because I have always enjoyed reading and different types of literature.
I have chosen to major in Literature for this reason; for the love of
reading and the adventures it brings to my life, without ever having to leave
home. American Immigrant Literature
has been more of a process in learning about other cultures through the various
readings and also of the history of other cultures in the United States and
around the world. Having been
exposed to so many cultures through literature, the idea came to light for me:
what do these people do for a living, once they have immigrated to the
United States? The topic of
what minorities or immigrants do to earn a living once they arrive in the United
States is something I want to learn more about.
Although some immigrants came to the States with a previous
skill, trade or education, some cultures acquired a skill, learned a trade or
became educated so that they could earn a living to survive the U.S.
For example, Tippi Hedren an American actress helped Vietnamese-Americans
learn manicuring skills. While
volunteering in a Californian refugee village, Ms. Hedren’s nails were of such
interest to the Vietnamese-American ladies that her manicurist taught them the
necessary skills, along with local beauty schools.
Today, the multi-billion dollar nail salon business is dominated by
Vietnamese-Americans.
The Mexicans were not the first migrant workers in the U.S.
Originally, the Chinese cultivated the California fields and then were
replaced by the Japanese field hands.
Mexican workers started out in the construction industry, building the
railroad between Mexico and the U.S.
The Mexican immigrants came with skills and experience acquired in their
country. These skilled miners, work
hands from cattle ranches and small independent producers were forced to the
U.S. because of natural disasters and war.
Mexican workers performed well as machinists, mechanics, painters and
plumbers. Unfortunately, their
skills and experience were not enough to halt the abuse of their labor rights
and lack of better pay.
Chinese Americans also contributed to the construction of the
railroads, but experienced racial attacks and discrimination.
The anti-Chinese movement singled out the Chinese and barred almost all
immigration from China and also prevented them from become U.S. citizens.
The Chinese isolated themselves into their own communities, but had to do
something to survive. Thus, the
stereotypical Chinese restaurants and laundry shops came about as a means of
survival. Chinese Americans
assimilated into American society and continue to contribute to its growth,
prosperity and culture.
Although there are the
typical stereotypes of Mexican migrant workers, the Chinese laundry
stores and the Vietnamese nail salons, I am also learning about other cultures
and how their skills, or education are useful once they arrive here in the U.S.
The immigrant’s skills, experience and education, play a role in one way
or another in how they make their living.
Works Cited
Tippi
Hedren.
05 May 2005.
Wikipedia Foundation, Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tippi_Hedren.
“The Border| 1942 Mexican Immigrant Labor History.”
Web. 04 Nov 2013.
http://www.pbs.org/kpbs/theborder/history/timeline/17.html.
Le, C.N. 2013. “The First Asian Americans.” Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. 04 Nov 2013. http://www.asian-nation.org/printer/first.html.
