How Eric Liu Presents His Life As A Native Immigrant To Asian Americans?

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

where he adapted to their environment, culture, and language. By achieving this, he describes his struggles, the effects of race/diversity, and how he overcame them that influenced his life as an Asian American.
Liu’s assimilation started when he was born. Since his parent came to the United States before Liu was born, they had to work hard to adapt in a new society because they had a different culture, tradition, and spoke in a different language. Liu mentioned, “It began with my parents, who came here with an appetite for Western ways already whetted by films and books and music and, in my mother’s case, by a father who’d been to the West.” In order words, Liu’s parents learned how to adapt the new environment by films and books before they came to U.S. because they wanted to know more about what America looked like, and learned how to communicate with people who had a different race. Even though Liu’s parents learned some things before coming to America, they still did not assimilate completely because they still owned their Chinese background and culture. Thus, Liu’s parents did not focus and support Liu to learn Chinese culture and tradition, since they believed that the American society represents freedom which could benefit his own life. They wanted Liu be able to learn the American lifestyle to assimilate into the “white” society and for Liu to become really “white.” This would allow Liu to assimilate into the new lifestyle completely without any influences by the Chinese culture.
Liu found himself different from the others when he was a child. He described himself as a “banana” meaning that he has yellow skin and portrays a “white” individual inside. He argued, “I am considered “a credit to my race.”” This means that Liu was considered an Asian American. He didn’t want to completely forget his Chinese culture while continuing to assimilate in the American culture. This made him so proud of himself knowing that he was special from the others for being an individual from two different cultures. Liu’s own perspective of his unique individual gives him confidence to achieve his goal for adapting to a new culture. However, his parents did not educate him, so he had to find a way to fit in with the society on his own. Liu’s process of doing things by himself without his parents’ help also represents America’s freedom and the effect in his life as a more independent individual. Therefore, the new environment helps him reach his goal of individuality as an Asian American who portrays traits of the culture he’s assimilated into, such as confidence and independence.
After Liu went to his white friend’s house, he was confused by the silverware that they had used for dining. He stated, “Next was the question of silverware: which piece to use, in which order, and so forth.” In this quote, Liu was curious of their eating utensils and had felt like a stranger to them because he’s been used to using chopsticks instead of silverware whenever he ate with his parents. Since the silverware represented how an upper class person dealt with in their dining, Liu tried to learn their dining etiquette by imitating his white friend’s who use of forks and knives. This was one of the reasons that Liu started to hang out with his white friends because he wanted to prepare for becoming an upper class person, and to assimilate into the white society. Thus, Liu’s goal of dealing with his childhood became the first priority.
When Liu went to high school, he was ignored by his classmates.

Liu had different color skin than his classmates, he was a bookworm who wasn’t amusing to his classmates, the girls in his class did not like him at all, and the boys shot spitballs at him. Liu quotes, “There were one or two occasions in seventh grade when the toughs in the back of the bus taunted me, called me chink, shot spitballs at me” This quote means that Liu was bullied by the students who were sitting behind him in the school bus, and they shoot spitballs at him. Even though he had a hard time during that year, he still did not give up to make white friends who could stand up for him, to support him, and to make connections with other whites in high school. Since Liu learned how to get along with white friends, he was able to easily overcome those type of bad situations in high

school.
When Liu went to Yale, which is a prestigious university, he started to realize that he did not fit in because most of the students were wealthy and white. Liu says, “When I was deposited at the wrought-iron gates of residential college as a freshman, I felt like an outsider than I’d thought possible.” In this quote, Liu felt that he didn’t belong in this college because he’s not white and he grew up in a middle class. However, in order to fit into the college, he started to learn the culture of influential class and to make a connection with the upper class students. This action could make him stay determined towards his ambition and overcome the challenges in college.
Once Liu got his internship where worked in the white house during his college year, he felt like he was not far away from his goal because he eventually made good relationships with the social-class people. Liu says, “Extracurriculars opened the door to an alumni internship, which brought me to Capitol Hill, which led to a job and a life in Washington after commencement.” In order words, Liu had a good opportunity to work with the social-class people and lead his life to change. By finishing the internship, Liu has finally became an upper class person. He would not feel like an outsider anymore because he gained political power and connections between the social class people, so this means that he succeeded to fit in with the upper class society.
Furthermore, Liu got married to a white girl after he finished his college years. He was finally accepted by the white society. Liu mentions, “Today, nearly seven years after my father’s death and two years after my marriage into a large white family, it is as if I have come round a bend and realized that I am no longer sure where I am running or why.” Liu shares his experience that even after being part of a white family, he’s also unsure about his identity because he feels guilty about living with his parents without involving any Chinese culture into his daily life. Even though he made himself assimilated into the American society and succeeded to become an upper class American individual, he still lost touch of his Chinese identity in his life.
In conclusion, Liu assimilated into the American society where he adapted to their environment, culture, and language.

Although his parents had no previous knowledge of America’s society, they were able to learn from watching films and reading books. When Liu was born, they decided it was a good idea for him to adapt to this new environment that may benefit his life with better opportunities that the culture provides. Some of these opportunities involved independence and a luxurious lifestyle that they thought was different than the Chinese culture. Liu took pride in believing that he was considered an Asian American when he perceives himself as a unique individual coming from two different cultures. He learns about the daily lives of white people and eventually made friends who were able to support and teach him to fit in with the society. During his life in America, Liu faced struggles and tries to overcome them by learning how to get along with white people, using the social-class to help him make connections with other white people, and getting involved with his internship which provided a good career opportunity while becoming an upper class person. Overall, Liu’s success in achieving his goals of individuality, career opportunities, and lifestyle as well as understanding himself about his Asian American

identity.