Kesaya Noda's Growing Up Asian In America

What does it mean to be an American? Being an American is much more than the idea of freedom and money. Everyone has their own version of the American Dream as expressed by poets, musicians, and even authors. I believe the American Dream is still possible because it takes hard work and dedication to be able to achieve what you want. I also believe the American Dream is starting from the bottom and working your way up to something more, something better. Below are a few of America’s voices from the great melting pot. Anzia was an immigrant from Poland. When she arrived in America she had passion and dreams. “ America was a land of living hope”. She realized that sometimes hard work doesn't off. Anzia worked as a servant for a wealthy American family. She did not get paid money for her hard work. So she left and found work in a factory which was awful and had horrible pay. Still she chose to remain hopeful and would not give up.

Noda feels as if her identity is pasted on her face. She is confused and feels less of an American because her ethnicity and physical features, are Chinese, yet she is an American. Noda says “You are other. You are less than. You are unalterably alien.’ She is talking about how her family are immigrants and that she is different because her ethnicity is not allowing her to feel like an American. “The family’s need to protect claim to identity and place outweighs any individual claim to any individual hope. I am Japanese”. She also claims her heritage to the shrine they have served for generations. Eventually, Noda comes to the understanding that she is Japanese American and she has a place in this country too. She is happy and proud to be an