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Experiences of immigrants in united states essay
My experience as an immigrant in the United States
My experience as an immigrant in the United States
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Many immigrants saw America as the land of opportunity, a place where dreams come true. They wanted their family to have a better life in America and they often saw their children as the only way to achieve success. They strove for their children’s success to make sure they have a bright future and didn’t realize how harmful and destructive their approach may be. They wanted their children to be successful Americans, but at the same time they were afraid the second generation could go through a process of cultural change ( Hoyte 2014). Although Jing-mei’s mother reassures her daughter “Only ask you be your best. For your sake”(Tan 379), there is still the mother’s belief her daughter can be a genius if only she tries hard (Hoyte 2014). There is the pressure, the discomfort and the dreams of the parent that the child suffers from. Works Cited Hoyte, Kirsten D. “Contradiction and Culture: Revisiting Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” (Again).”Minnesota Review 61/62 (Spring 2014): 161-169. Scholarly Journals. Web. 21 June 2016. Lee,Shih-Yu, Weiss, Sandra “When East Meets West: Intensive Care Unit Experience Among First-Generation Chinese American Parents.” Journal of Nursing Scholarship 41.3 (2013): 268-275. Scholarly Journals. …show more content…
Traditional cultural values and family relationship are at heart of the Asian principles. Asian immigrants treat their ethnic communities as extended families and every success reflects the expectations of the whole group rather than just one family. The article is very useful to my study as it explains that the traditional Asian values apply to immigrants living in America. Being a minority group in America, Asian communities treat their families as their biggest support and a source of identity. There is a lot of pressure put on young people to succeed. The Asian children often suffer from the inability to fulfil their parents’
In this article, Eric Liu presents his life as a native immigrant to an Asian American individual. He shares his experience through his reflection of ideas and emotions. Along with his story, it relates to the ideas of people’s journey from adolescence to adulthood. Eric’s inspirational experience is directed towards minority groups who try to adapt to the American culture and lifestyle. His parents emigrated from China to America, before he was born which he later became exposed to the freedom and diverse society. This results in beneficial effects for his individuality, career opportunities, and lifestyle. Although his parents have lived in a different culture than him, his life in America has made him assimilated into the American society
Chua believes that Chinese parents force their children to be academically successful in order to reach “higher” goals in life. She emphasizes this when she states “…Chinese parents have … higher dreams for their children…” (Chua 8). Although Amy set higher s...
America was not everything the mothers had expected for their daughters. The mothers always wanted to give their daughters the feather to tell of their hardships, but they never could. They wanted to wait until the day that they could speak perfect American English. However, they never learned to speak their language, which prevented them from communicating with their daughters. All the mothers in The Joy Luck Club had so much hope for their daughters in America, but instead their lives ended up mirroring their mother’s life in China. All the relationships had many hardships because of miscommunication from their different cultures. As they grew older the children realized that their ...
People of Filipino decent have a rich culture that emphasizes tradition and family; as well as allows for a political and sociocultural movement for Filipino immigrants in their new countries. Theme one focuses on the concept of culture and how Filipinos present themselves as a race. Although they reside in the United States, it was rare for most informants to identify themselves as Americans. Rather, they viewed their culture as being morally correct and righteous and American culture as deviant or aberrant. Explicitly, the issue with Filipinos in terms of American culture was their concept of family and the U.S. families’ lac k thereof. They argue that in their culture family is a dominant aspect that preaches assistance and care for one another. Additionally, they disagree with the ideology that American families have in terms they raise their children. Filipinos take care of their children and continue to offer them resources and shelter regardless of their age. Conversely, they believe that American parents lack in care for their children and ultimately get the same from them in return. Filipino culture also emphasizes gender roles and restrictions, particularly female gender. Females are expected to take on the role of the
Oftentimes the children of immigrants to the United States lose the sense of cultural background in which their parents had tried so desperately to instill within them. According to Walter Shear, “It is an unseen terror that runs through both the distinct social spectrum experienced by the mothers in China and the lack of such social definition in the daughters’ lives.” This “unseen terror” is portrayed in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club as four Chinese women and their American-born daughters struggle to understand one another’s culture and values. The second-generation women in The Joy Luck Club prove to lose their sense of Chinese values, becoming Americanized.
“ Many Asian Americans are alarmed because of the rising number of interracial unions, which they believe reduces the pool of eligible men and women who could otherwise engage in same-culture unions.” ( Interracial Marriage - Difficulties in Interracial Marriages, 1) This shows that Asian people who are living in America are afraid that they are going to slowly but surely lose their culture as they become “ Americanized” from a different
Chinese immigrants to the United States of America have experienced both setbacks and triumphs in the quest to seek a better life from themselves and their families. First arriving in America in the mid-1800s to seek jobs and escape poor conditions in their home country, the Chinese found work as labors and settled in areas known as Chinatowns (Takaki 181-183). In the early years, these immigrants experienced vast legal racism and sexism as women were forbidden to enter the country and the Chinese Exclusion Act prevented laborers from entering the country for years (Takaki 184-192). Today, the modern Chinese-American experience has changed from the experience of early Chinese immigrants. Many immigrants enter the country seeking better education as well employment (Yung, Chang, and Lai 244). Immigrant women have made great strides in achieving equality to men. Despite advancements, many immigrants still experience discrimination on some level. One example of a modern Chinese immigrant is “Ruby”, a college student who, with her parents, immigrated from Hong Kong to a suburb of Providence, Rhode Island, 7 years ago. Ruby’s story shares insight on the modern Chinese-American experience and the struggles this group still faces. Chinese immigrants have long maintained a presence in the United States, and despite many struggles, have eventually began to reap the benefits of this great nation.
In her short story "Two Kinds," Amy Tan utilizes the daughter's point of view to share a mother's attempts to control her daughter's hopes and dreams, providing a further understanding of how their relationship sours. The daughter has grown into a young woman and is telling the story of her coming of age in a family that had emigrated from China. In particular, she tells that her mother's attempted parental guidance was dominated by foolish hopes and dreams. This double perspective allows both the naivety of a young girl trying to identify herself and the hindsight and judgment of a mature woman.
In the short story, "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan, a Chinese mother and daughter are at odds with each other. The mother pushes her daughter to become a prodigy, while the daughter (like most children with immigrant parents) seeks to find herself in a world that demands her Americanization. This is the theme of the story, conflicting values. In a society that values individuality, the daughter sought to be an individual, while her mother demanded she do what was suggested. This is a conflict within itself. The daughter must deal with an internal and external conflict. Internally, she struggles to find herself. Externally, she struggles with the burden of failing to meet her mother’s expectations. Being a first-generation Asian American, I have faced the same issues that the daughter has been through in the story.
There are big differences in how Chinese mothers act towards their children compared to Western mothers including the expression of feelings and approval, the worth of their children, and what is best for them. Amy Chua (2011) incorporates her own personal experiences of being a Chinese mother within her article and compares that to what she witnesses in America.
...ith Jing Mei and her mother, it is compounded by the fact that there are dual nationalities involved as well. Not only did the mother’s good intentions bring about failure and disappointment from Jing Mei, but rooted in her mother’s culture was the belief that children are to be obedient and give respect to their elders. "Only two kinds of daughters.....those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind!" (Tan1) is the comment made by her mother when Jing Mei refuses to continue with piano lessons. In the end, this story shows that not only is the mother-daughter relationship intricately complex but is made even more so with cultural and generational differences added to the mix.
There are certain moments in your life when your parents try to embarrass you, or your significant other, or simply just a friend. Like you almost feel ashamed of them, you don't want to be near them so people don't know you know them. Being ashamed and being embarrassed by someone goes hand in hand. You may love this person but you are embarrassed by how this person acts. Amy Tan feels this way about her mother, and I feel this way about my sister. Tan is ashamed of her mother's english, as I am ashamed at how my sister is creating her life.
In Amy Tan 's Two Kinds, Jing-mei and her mother show how through generations a relationship of understanding can be lost when traditions, dreams, and pride do not take into account individuality. By applying the concepts of Virginia Woolf, Elaine Showalter, and the three stages of feminism, one can analyze the discourse Tan uses in the story and its connection to basic feminist principles.
The short story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan describes a girl, Jing-Mei, who has a mother that expects her to become a prodigy. The story also talks about a girl, Waverly, who makes her mother proud because she is a prodigy. In the short story it states “Of course you can be a prodigy, too,” my mother told me when I was nine” (Tan 1). Jing-Mei was always told by her mother she could be something great. Her mother always expected her to be talented and passionate about something, but Jing-Mei was never passionate because her mother was always telling her what to do. On the other hand Waverly was much different. For example “ Waverly Jong had gained a certain amount of fame as ‘Chinatown’s Littlest Chinese Chess Champion”’ ( Tan 3). This describes
I feel the story; “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan has the most effective themes of the American dream, and the strain between mother and daughter. Jing-mei’s mother had a hard and difficult life in China and believes that with hard work and dedication you can be anything you want to be even a “prodigy.” Her mother forces to her attempt many different things, which Jing-mei resist because she feels like her mother is trying to change her. In the story Jing-mei states, “I won’t let her change me, I promised myself. I won’t be what I’m not.” Once Jing-mei goes back to the house to have the piano tuned a few months after her mother’s death, she realized that her mother was trying to give her something she never had (The American Dream.) When she re-played