|
Sample Student final exam answers 2019 |
LITR 4340
 American Immigrant Literature Model Assignments |
|
Virginia Deleon
Exploring the Dominant Culture
When learning about American immigration, it is important to note that not all
immigrants have come to this country in recent years. In fact, some American
immigrants have been here since the birth of our nation. Members of the dominant
or settler culture are not technically considered immigrants anymore, however,
they did come here from other countries in search of freedom and opportunity.
With a rich and winding history, members of the dominant culture also bring
diversity to the table. The following student work explores the intricacies of
belonging to a culture that is deemed “dominant” in a nation of “minority”: Anne
Ngo’s “There is Always Something We Can Relate To”, Clark Omo’s “Tracing
Reactions: Immigrant and Minority Feelings Toward American Culture”, and Tammy
Tran’s “Metaphors for the Dominant Culture”.
Anne Ngo’s final essay “There is Always
Something We Can Relate To” intelligently combines the different ideas and
learning objectives discussed in the course throughout the semester. She begins
with an analysis and background of immigrants, New World immigrants, minorities,
and finally members of the dominant culture. Ngo claims that in order “To build
a deeper understanding of the immigrant narrative, an examination of the
narratives from the dominant culture may reveal differences, but possible
similarities with assimilation” (Ngo). Through her exploration, Ngo suggests
that by studying the dominant culture one might find both unexpected differences
and similarities to the narratives of immigrants and minorities. As the title
suggests, “There is Always Something We
Can Relate To”. According to Ngo, “The Pilgrims were worried of their
children’s assimilation to the Dutch culture, fearful of losing their native
language, heritage and their “unique status as people of God”. This concern of
assimilation may mirror Stage 5 of the Immigrant Narrative: their children were
on the path to assimilation” (Ngo). Interestingly enough, the fear of
assimilation is a theme that can be seen across the board with all groups.
Furthermore, Clark Omo’s “Tracing Reactions:
Immigrant and Minority Feelings Toward American Culture” expands on the idea
that the dominant culture also faces trials and tribulations. According to Omo,
“The Dominant Culture falls victim to its own set of internal misgivings. While
it may not encounter the same degree of alienation, isolation, and
discrimination as some of the immigrant groups do that try to enter the United
States, the Dominant Culture nonetheless experiences its own catalogue of
detriments” (Omo). It is important to note that Omo does not try to devalue any
group’s experience, he simply makes the observation that the dominant culture
has faced its own adversities. For example, Omo elaborates on how the dominant
culture began as a community that relied highly on one another for survival.
However, as time went on, some members of the dominant culture found themselves
displaced and
“falling behind in economic development”. Omo
finds these tragic events symbolic: “The community then becomes a sort of symbol
of how the Dominant culture has changed and symbolic of its own ruptured
function” (Omo). When describing the dominant culture as a whole, it is easy to
brush aside the struggles they have encountered as a community. Omo’s essay
reminds us that all human experience is real and valid. We cannot forget that
the “dominant culture” is actually an umbrella term which encompases several
ethnic groups who have also been persecuted, mistreated, and discriminated
against.
Finally, “Metaphors for the Dominant Culture”
by Tammy Tran explores the different groups that make up the U.S. in a critical,
yet eloquent manner. She begins with analysis on how the media portrays these
different groups and how opinions can be swayed in opposing directions.
Ultimately, she covers all of the necessary learning objectives in her essay by
putting together literary analysis from a variety of the course texts. When it
comes to the dominant culture, Tran begins by providing a brief historical
context for her readers: “During the 1620s and 1630s, many Puritans traveled to
Massachusetts Bay from eastern England. Aristocratic settlers from southern
England, like those of Jamestown and the “Cavaliers,” populated the mid-Atlantic
colonies in the early to mid-1600s. The third wave consisted of the Scots-Irish
in the 1700s; they came from Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England and
occupied the southern and interior colonies” (Tran). Tran does an excellent job
of providing content knowledge in order to set up her future analysis of the
course readings. Moreover, she goes on to explain that “The dominant culture
struggles with conflicting desires of survival and preserving their culture from
the start” (Tran). Tran takes on the perspective of the dominant community as
they struggle to preserve their identities in the new world as opposed to
completely assimilating. As a matter of fact, many other groups of immigrants
and minorities also face this same issue. This theme ties back to Ngo and Omo’s
argument in which they state that all groups have commonalities and experience
similar problems. Ultimately, it is our differences, and sometimes our
similarities, that make the U.S. the great melting pot that it is.
