Katie Vitek

Thematic Reflections of a Stark Reality

            A broad conception of the American Immigrant Narrative includes the immigrant’s journey to a new world, hard work, and ideally the contentment of attaining the better life he set out to find. Unfortunately, the American Dream is not that simple. A more realistic portrayal of the immigrant experience incorporates not only financial struggles, but also the emotional struggles of maintaining one’s identity while searching for acceptance. The immigrant encounters new norms and traditions and must decide what he wants to hold onto or let go of from his past life as well as what he wants to reach for and hopefully grasp for the first time in his new life. It is a story of assimilation and survival. The reader follows the immigrant on his path of hope and disappointment while coming to understand the basis for his insecurities. It is a deeply personal look at characters who are much more than fictional creations. These characters are reflections of an uncomfortable reality that is often overlooked by the dominant culture. Immigrant literature stands out as a genre that highlights discomfort and strays from the usual narrative pattern that ends happily ever after. It follows a more realistic pattern that is driven by personal development rather than plot development. As a result of this perspective, the reader comes to realize that these “foreigners” are unexpectedly familiar. “Their story” becomes “our story.”

             One feature of immigrant narratives is a character’s feeling of separation. The immigrant does not feel entirely accepted into society, yet there is something the character is connected to that prevents him from feeling entirely helpless or isolated. He still has reason to hope. Gish Jen’s story “In the American Society,” is separated into two chapters: “His Own Society” and “In the American Society”. The chapters do not refer to an old world and a new world, but to different sections of the same American world. There is a part of America that Mr. Chang feels he belongs in (the business world) and a part he still feels trapped outside of (the social world). Because his business is successful, Mr. Chang is able to feel in control of his life. As long as he has that niche carved out for himself, he doesn’t feel it necessary to emerge into other parts of society. For example, he has no interest in mingling with his wife’s American friends or joining their country club. He remains secure in this lifestyle until his business declines. At the same time he is feeling disappointed by his business world, his wife is officially rejected from the country club, a representation of her social world. This rejection sparks an invitation to the party where Mr. Chang will come face to face with the American society he feels the least connection to. Ironically, the family’s rejection has led to an invitation of acceptance. Jen’s story depicts an immigrant’s fear of associating with Americans who may not understand them. Mr. Chang’s fear is not unfounded, as anyone who has ever been nervous about meeting new people can testify.

            Even when characters feel unaccepted, they can still be portrayed as grateful. That gratitude is shown in small ways, but it is highlighted when the immigrant sees America for the first time. The moment of arrival is often represented as the culmination of a lifetime’s dreaming, and as such it creates a profound impression. Chitra Divakaruni relates the story of an arrival in her poem “Restroom.” Of all the new sights around her on her flight and at the airport, Divakaruni focuses on the airport restroom. Its seemingly small details make a big impression on the narrator. Her awe reminds the reader that the things Americans take for granted may be viewed by most of the world as luxuries. These are details that may not always be associated with the immigrant narrative if they are dismissed in favor of the more common pattern of hard work and assimilation, but they are certainly present and should not be taken for granted.

            Another important theme in immigrant narratives is the coming together of expectation and reality. The restroom in Divakaruni’s poem seems to exceed the narrator’s expectations, but the treatment her husband is enduring must certainly fall short. Once she leaves the airport, this in-between world where reality is being temporarily held at bay, she will have to face discrimination and pain that she doesn’t seem to have anticipated. Divakaruni presents another variation of this miscalculation in her short story, “Silver Pavements, Golden Roofs.” In this case, the main character, Jayanti, is surprised not so much by America, but by her aunt’s and uncle’s position in its society. Her faith in America initially falters because of her uncle’s overalls; she feels uncomfortable at the thought that he may be low-class. Her worry increases when she sees their apartment. The alteration in this situation is that the physical condition of the apartment doesn’t seem to bother her as much as what it suggests about her relatives. Jayanti is shocked that they are a disappointment – that they have not achieved the dream she thought they had. This is another prominent feature of the genre. For example, in Anzia Yezierska’s “Soap and Water,” the narrator went to college hoping to make friends and have intelligent conversations, but soon found out that her peers would not accept her. Apparently, occupying the role of immigrant can sometimes overrule other roles, such as student or peer.

            The shock a person feels from his first encounter with discrimination leaves a scar that finds its way into immigrant narratives time and time again. It seems that the characters who overcome this discrimination are those who have people “on the inside” helping them make the transition. In his autobiography, Andrew Carnegie describes the progression of jobs he held which were attained through his father’s contacts. The beginning of this pattern is briefly glimpsed in “In the American Society” when Mr. Chang realizes that he can sponsor his workers so that they can become permanent residents. Unfortunately, his workers, Booker and Cedric, don’t trust the government and reject Mr. Chang’s offer out of fear. This fear is something Andrew Carnegie doesn’t seem to have experienced, perhaps because his ethnicity allowed him to blend into the dominant culture. It could also be evidence of a changing immigrant experience. Andrew Carnegie was able to work his way up whereas many current immigrant stories express a frustration with social imprisonment.  Granted, Carnegie is an extreme example, but it is possible that changing cultural attitudes over time have led to immigrants facing increasingly severe problems.

            In many ways, I think the immigrant narrative is one of growing up. It shares many features of a coming-of-age story. Most importantly, the immigrant struggles to overcome his insecurities and be accepted. This may be one of the features that makes immigrant narratives so aesthetically appealing; the characters are relatable on a human level, so no matter what their culture or how distant their experience is from the reader’s, the reader still feels empathy. In Anzia Yezierska’s “Soap and Water,” the narrator focuses on her exclusion from the academic world because of her lack of cleanliness. Even if the reader has never had difficulty getting her hands on soap and water, she can still relate to the feelings of self-consciousness and anger. What American teenager hasn’t, at some point or another, worried about fitting in with popular trends? And after feeling that worry, who hasn’t gotten angry at herself and thought in revolt, “Why should I have to follow that trend to be accepted?” Many of the emotions the problems evoke are the same: insecurity, longing for acceptance, indignation. Of course, we shouldn’t dismiss the difference in the severity of the problems. Being overworked for the sake of survival to the point that one is literally unable to bathe is certainly not the same as following fashionable trends. The difference in severity is one of the possible limits of the immigrant narrative. While some aspects of the narrative are familiar, others remain uncomfortably foreign.           

            Foreign elements in individual narratives may make it difficult to claim that immigrant narratives help define American culture, because they remind the reader that each of these stories depicts only a portion of our population. But taken together, they represent our collective struggle for belonging and success. The huge number and variety of stories that can be categorized as multi-cultural or immigrant supports the idea that they represent all of us. Even though the stories differ for each person, they must be acknowledged as aspects of life in American society. Their common themes of separation, discrimination, and clashing of expectations lend insight into Americans’ experiences and, therefore, the American experience as a whole.

The Pursuit of Identity: Immigrants, Minorities, and America

            The most notable elements shared by immigrant and minority narratives are themes of discomfort, survival, and hope in the face of adversity. The most notable difference is that immigrants work toward the American Dream whereas minorities try to survive the American Nightmare. By comparing the two, readers become better informed as to which characteristics are part of a universal human experience and which have been created by the dominant culture. If readers allow these stories to inform each other in this manner, they may achieve a greater awareness of the genre as well as American culture, which is, after all, one of the greatest espoused motivations for reading Multicultural Literature. Since there is no possible way to include every culture in one’s reading, perhaps the focus should not be on individual cultures, but on experiences. If this were the focus, then learning about other cultures could be a positive byproduct of the genre rather than a goal.

            The first shared element is discomfort. Reading these stories evokes sympathy, empathy, and sometimes a sense of shame – none of which are typical for other genres. Readers may relate to characters, but the knowledge that one is reading fiction usually provides an emotional buffer that is distinctly absent from multicultural and immigrant literature. In “The Man to Send Rain Clouds,” Leslie Marmon Silko presents a conflict between religions. All of the characters are relatable – it seems to be a story made entirely of protagonists. The only antagonist is culture clash. The reader can feel that Father Paul cares for his “parishioners” and wants to help them. He can likewise feel that Leon and Ken don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.  Their common discomfort raises the question of what is right in a situation where no one is wrong. A similar situation occurs in “American Horse,” by Louise Erdrich. Surely no one wants a mother and child to be separated, but when it is what’s best for the child it may be necessary. In this story, misunderstanding contributes greatly to the discomfort. Albertine seems to feel she is being treated unfairly because of her ethnicity, and the reader is not reassured that she’s wrong. The officers and Vicki Koob are just doing their job, which they believe is morally right. Adding greatly to the emotional confusion is Officer Harmony – a man stuck in between two cultures, seeing both sides but unable to reach out to either. All of these characters experience insecurity along with the reader, bringing in the element of survival. They will not agree on a solution because they do not agree to the same social contract.

            This is a key distinction between minority and immigrant narratives. By choosing to come to America, immigrants do agree to a social contract. In Sui Sin Far’s “In the Land of the Free,” Hom Hing allows his son to be taken away by the government, placing his faith in the law. He has a trust that is not shared by Albertine American Horse. The cultural narratives of minority groups give them solid reasons not to trust the American government, whereas immigrant stories portray the characters as realizing too late that their trust may be misplaced. That realization can lend an atmosphere of foreboding to immigrant narratives so that the introductory tone is hopeful but then declines into fear and disappointment as the story unfolds. In opposition, readers of minority narratives expect bad experiences from the beginning, so the stories begin with a tone of despair but often branch out into hopeful moments in which the characters have chances to overcome their situations.

            A variation of these themes can be seen in non-fiction writing, such as, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African.” Because this is a factual account, it will not necessarily follow an expected thematic pattern. It is much more unpredictable, so the atmosphere is much more tense and the reader is more invested in the character’s plight. For example, when it is suggested to his master that Olaudah may run away, there is no way for a reader to predict what will happen. When Olaudah appeals to the captain, the reader cannot hold out hope that the author will write a desirable outcome because he cannot change history. That knowledge places the reader closer to the mental state of Olaudah because he truly has no control over the outcome. The reality of the situation creates a more realistic and more hopelessly pessimistic mood than one would find in fiction.

            These thematic difficulties reflect immigrant and minority literature’s relation to the American Dream. Pursuing happiness in America requires a resiliency that is exemplified by immigrants and minorities. Even though the groups’ origins are in opposition to one another, their identities overlap as they share in a pursuit that distinguishes them from the dominant culture. In addition to searching for success, they are searching for a cultural identity that the dominant culture takes for granted. In the case of Olaudah Equiano, he literally had to struggle to claim his own name. A similar representation can be found in Officer Harmony. His cultural and political identities are in conflict with one another, so he must make a place for himself – something members of the dominant culture don’t generally have to worry about. Where these groups differ the most is in their ideas of assimilation and resistance. Minorities’ means of coming to America allow them a rational reason for resisting assimilation; immigrants may feel that their choice to immigrate binds them in a social contract which requires some degree of assimilation. Minorities may not need to alter their identities so much as they need to overcome historical resistance to their identities.

            These are different types of struggles, both regrettably unfortunate. If there is a positive aspect to such struggles, it is that the persistent optimism of immigrant and minority writers’ continued efforts to illuminate their experiences gives readers hope that the American spirit survives in spite of adversity. Their efforts are part of a positive cultural evolution that will hopefully be aided by their realistic portrayals of American Culture and the American Dream. Furthermore, their ability to overlap as well as diverge is a sign that the writers are succeeding at mimicking a complex reality. Immigrant and minority narratives are contributing not only to literature, but also to a culture in search of its own identity, because they are as diverse as the Americans who write them, as diverse as the elusive American Dream.