...Becoming American: The Chinese Experience SOCY 100 February 18, 2012 Introduction The Chinese Experience records the history of the Chinese in the United States. The three-part documentary shows how the first arrivals from China, their descendants, and recent immigrants have “become American.” It is a story about identity and belonging that is relative to all Americans. The documentary is divided into three programs, each with a focus on a particular time in history. Program 1 describes the first arrivals from China, beginning in the early 1800’s and ending in 1882, the year Congress passed the first Chinese exclusion act. Program 2, which details the years of exclusion and the way they shaped and distorted Chinese American life, opens in 1882 and ends soon after Congress repealed the exclusion acts in 1943. Program 3 examines life during the Cold War, in the wake of immigration reform in 1965, through the years of the Civil Rights Movement, and to the present day with new opportunities and new challenges for Chinese Americans. These three themes discussing the history will be the focus of this paper documenting the journey of the Chinese American dream. Becoming American: The Chinese Experience Program 1 begins in the mid-1800s a time of civil war and famine in southern China. Young Chinese men left their villages to search for better opportunities in other parts of the world. When the news of a gold rush in California reached China in 1849, thousands headed...
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...assimilation to mainstream American culture You might want to reflect on how the historical times in which they came of age influenced their experiences Consider differences and/or similarities in their attitudes towards --parents --traditional Chinese culture --Education --American values Matthew Munet Pardee and Jade; Similar Yet Different Family and class backgrounds have a major influence on the way humans create our perceptions and beliefs. I for one come from a Hispanic middle class family. My beliefs may have some similarities to other middle class Hispanics but may be completely opposite compared to a female who comes from a wealthy Hispanic family. This can be seen if we compare Pardee Lowe and Jade Snow Wong. These two prominent Asian American authors depict The Chinese authors Pardee Lowe and Jade Snow Wong display how assimilation differ with social class, gender, and ethnic background through their stories Nisei Daughter and Father and Glorious Descendent. There experiences defy the many anti-Asian prejudice that was established upon the Chinese people during that time. Coming from an Americanized home and wealthy family Pardee Lowe epitomized the ideal situation of growing up as a Chinese child. His father being a wealthy merchant differentiated from a typical Chinese kid growing up in American society. In addition, having an Americanized dad relieved Pardee of the many contrasting cultures that other Chinese kids such as Jade Snow Wong...
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...Chinese Language in America Chao Liang Kansa State University 12/7/11 Author Note Chao Liang, undergraduate student, Kansas State University. Chao Liang is major in Finance Management in Business College. This report is a summary of study of Chinese language; experience of teaching Chinese with American student who is taking Chinese class. The culture of Chinese language develops in America. Abstract In this report, it includes 5 main points refer to the Chinese language and personal experience. 1. From learning the Chinese language, grammar, pronunciation, to understand the Chinese language situation in America, Chinese America experience in America. 2. Conclude the experience through teaching Chinese. 3. Compare Chinese cultural and America cultural. 4. Analysis what classmate sharing in class, the importance of team work. 5. Suggestion for the future class. These five different points connected by one common thing, Chinese language. The whole report emphasizes the development of Chinese language in America. How these two different cultures occur chemistry reaction. The improvement of teaching skill make a big contribution on develops of Chinese in America. Chinese Language in America As a Chinese, with more than 10 years of Chinese learning, we cannot image how the foreigner learn Chinese. After study in America, we can see lots of natives are willing to learning Chinese even though it seems extremely difficult to them...
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...Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Maya Lin, 1982. Maya Lin's "Vietnam Veterans Memorial," is a monument in Washington D.C. honoring those who perished in the Vietnam war. It is comprised of two large black polished slabs of stone, which connect perpendicularly to create a recessed v in the side of the Earthen landscape. The names of the fallen and missing soldiers are etched into the stone. "Vietnam Veterans Memorial" is a groundbreaking composition and a first of its kind, but it is also reminiscent of ancient Chinese art because of the connection made with nature. "Chinese society, basically agricultural, has always laid great stress on understanding the pattern of nature and living in accordance with it" (Silbergeld & Sullivan). The memorial reminds...
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...African Americans that are targeted by police brutality. This essay will focus on the hardships on Asian Americans in particular and the pressure to assimilate into Western civilization. Two examples that present...
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...students and teachers, and shifts society from industrialized society towards an information-based society. It has a great effect on culture and brings about a new form of cultural imperialism. The rise of new cultural imperialism is shaping children, the future citizen of global citizens. Intelligent people with a broad range of skills will be more competitive in this information-based society. With the development of globalization, higher education has to be internationalized in order to cater for this information-based society. Externally, the labor market requires for more knowledgeable and skilled workers, and workers with deeper understanding of foreign language and culture and business methods all over the world. Therefore, education is becoming invaluable to individuals. Today, education provides individuals with more chance of employment which in turn leads to a better life style, power, and status. This paper will discuss the impact of globalization on education. And it will find out the way how China higher education adapts to the changing environment under the context of globalization. 1. Introduction Globalization is a process, which affects a lot on human life, especially its great affection on education. In the twentieth century, many developing countries’ economy has grown quickly due to the introduction of education methods from the western countries. Someone believes it is invaluable opportunities for the people from developing countries to raise their skills...
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...A comparative study on family education in America and China Thesis statement: This paper is intended to make a comparison between American and Chinese family education to see the differences and similarities, and a detail explanation in given to the differences of family education from the aspect of culture to see the influence, also this paper could see the differences in different aspects and we should think what we should learn from other culture. Outline: 1. Introduction 2. Comparison between Chinese and American family education 1. Similarities 2. Differences 2.21 Traditional educations are different 2.22 The aim of family education are different 2.23 The concepts of family education are different 2.24 The methods between America and China are different 3. Cultural connotation of Chinese and American family education 3.1 The different economic from 3.2 The different historical background 3.3 The different social conditions 4. Conclusion and suggestions Works cited 1. Introduction In twenty-first century, economy develops rapidly and everything is renewed, also countries are competing with each other, so the education is important, just as the proverb says “ science is the first productivity”, and the education is the source of science, in education system, family education is very important. Family, as the cell of society...
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...July 3, 2010 Dear Diary, My life as a Chinese American Many of my ancestors paved the way for me to become a Chinese American. In the late 1850’s is when the first wave of Chinese immigration entered into the United States. The Chinese who entered the United States were called the Gold Mountain Guest. The Chinese called the United States, Gold Mountain, in the event that they may become rich. This gold rush started in Sutter’s Mill, Sacramento, CA. As the gold diminished, they just came to simply work. They were discriminated against in their wages, they were paid less than everybody else and was treated with violence. My name is Kim Lee, and I was born to Su Lee and Chang Lee on December 24, 1985 in China. When I first came to the United States, I did not know what to expect. My parents told me of the many struggles that the Chinese had to overcome to become Chinese Americans and I felt very afraid. My parents still live in China, while I came to the United States to attend College. I was accepted into the University of San Francisco, where I am currently attending school. I live in a small part of town called China Town. China Town is a segregated part of San Francisco where the Chinese Americans such as myself live. Most Chinese who come to the United States settle here on the West Coast, California being one of the biggest states to house Chinese Americans. Some of the same prejudice that my parents warned me about, still exist in the United States today....
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...we know, Asian American populations make up one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States, contributing to an increasing racial and ethnic plurality in communities across the nation. History has been told us that Asian Americans suffered too much inequality in the past and the landmark of them. Although racial discrimination still exists somehow in America, as a new immigrant, I feel such situation has been improved a lot. Language barriers, cultural disparity and other issues still become the problems for the connection between Asian Americans and the Americans, but most of us are trying to break out the barrier. By looking back to the history of Asian American, the documentary “Ancestors in the Americas: Chinese in the Frontier West” which directed by Loni Ding, reveals the arrival and harsh experiences of the large-scale Chinese immigrants on the West Coast of the United States during the 1850’s Gold Rush in California. Also, it portrays their role in developing the American West, and their battles to overcome racial discrimination. In order to have a better life for the family, the Chinese men determined to leave their families and sailed to the Gam Sann (Gold Mountain) with the “American dream”. Far from home, they always send money home without any hesitation. They separate for decades, sometimes forever. However, it is so hard to maintain life in America. They didn’t have the basic civil right, only treated as foreigners. Why Chinese immigrants couldn’t...
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...adopted from a one-minute 1990s clip that offers a historical description of Chinese rail workers experience in Canada. Chinese came in Canada as a source of labour in the construction of the Canada Pacific Railway (CPR) in the 1880s. “Nitro” is a clip that was released courtesy of a millionaire named Charles Bronfman and is under the Heritage Minutes of Canada. The clip depicts major themes of anti-racism and exploitation that Cantonese workers went through in Canada in the construction of CPR. Further, the clip manages to portray the realization of a national dream at the end of the clip, where the Chinese survived all the danger and Canada being a multi-cultural society. This paper applies critical analysis of issues emerging from the textualized one-minute clip “Nitro”. The paper assesses whether “Nitro” minute was able to present a comprehensive experience of Chinese rail workers and validity of its representation of Canada...
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...What exactly is the American dream? For many individuals the so-called American dream might vary. In “two kind” by Amy Tan the mother whom is a Chinese immigrant wishes that her first generation American daughter accomplish everything she couldn’t and even wishes that her daughter becomes a prodigy. This hope to acquire the American dream bring tension in the mother and daughter relationship and she in between these two kind of dreams her mothers dream for her and her own dreams. Also, this writing emphasizes the relationship of an immigrant mother and her Chinese American daughter and the tension cause of the American culture that clashes with mother Chinese culture and leads into miscommunication. Also, what might seem like the mother want...
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...Cross- cultural Adaptation in the U.S.: Chinese Students’ Difficulties and Transformations Chinese students due to their special characteristics of Asian culture, face great challenges when living and studying in the US. This article plans to identify their difficulties, causes of difficulties, and strategies to transform. Since those difficulties exist, more efforts are needed to explore potentials, make changes quickly and successfully. Language Ability Language ability plays a critical role in the process of transformation, and language problems could trigger a set of inconvenience. Many Chinese students have pretty high TOEFL scores, but higher scores do not guarantee fluent English in living and studying. So, when they first come to the U.S., many feel totally lost, confused, and incompetent. They could not express themselves freely, sharing feelings; or even lost confidence and thinking ability. The reason for this problem is partly due to their learning habit. Students in Asian countries pay more attention to reading and writing in English language, rather than listening and speaking. In addition, the language leaning styles in Asian countries are teacher- central, and transferring knowledge is considered the duty of teachers. Most students are receiving knowledge from teachers, rather than discovering knowledge on their own. Therefore, students tend to be quiet, shy, and silent in classrooms. They do not like the way of public discussion...
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...dating is increasing more and more in the 2st century. Why, one may ask? The answer lies in the fact that many people are becoming adventurous in their dating. The 21st century has introduced us to online dating, and single’s mixers, and interracial dating. Make this understood, interracial dating has been around for the ages, but it has become even more prominent in our society’s culture because people are more accepting of each other. Everyone should experience interracial dating because in the end, love knows no color. A positive reason to welcome the idea of interracial dating is the sense of adventure. Many people in the 21st century are all about seeking different and new experiences in all aspects of life. Interracial dating could be one of those experiences. The word, “adventure” does not seem appropriate with the thought of interracial dating, but truth be told, it is. Adventure does not have to mean running through a forest and swinging through vines, it can also mean having a personal adventure with someone different. Being with someone of a different race will open someone’s eyes to many things one may not have known it existed. For example, if one person does not experience an Asian person, they would never know that “American,” Chinese food is nothing like the real Chinese food that is served in China. They would realize that “American,” Chinese food was actually created in San Francisco. Breaking down barriers of stereotyping is another example of why interracial...
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...If Saab becomes Chinese should it rename? • Vladimir Djurovic, president at Labbrand, suggests the name might not work well in China. “We have already found in previous research projects on car brand names, that names with this term were not a favourite choice in China because they are a little too spiritual”. • Given both Labbrand’s expertise and MG’s experience, the acquisition might be the perfect opportunity for repositioning the Saab brand, especially if the product line were to change. However this move is not risk-free. • Saab’s name “萨博” is widely recognized by the Chinese audience, so renaming might mean losing loyal customers. To solve this Vladimir Djurovic, president of Labbrand, believes that “instead of renaming, Saab could consider developing a better tagline to fit the Chinese market and make the brand more vivid in the imagination of Chinese consumers”. Chivas Regal Trademark Case • Chivas Brothers failed to establish that the spirits brand was “well-known” in China before the registration of Chivas Regal clothing in 2003, which would have been grounds to deny the application.Before the 2003 registration by the Wenzhou squatter, Chivas Brothers (the brand owner) had registered the marks in a number of Classes, including 33, which includes alcoholic beverages. However, just because a brand owner registers the mark in one Class this does not automatically protect against other registrants for different goods/services or for products in other Classes...
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... Reflection on readings using Comparison and Contrast Maxine Hong Kingston (Tongue Tied); Richard Rodriguez (Aria); Gloria Anzaldua (How to Tame a Wild Tongue) In the short story’s ‘Tongue Tied’, ‘Aria’ and ‘How to Tame a Wild Tongue’, written by Maxine Hong Kingston, Richard Rodriguez and Gloria Anzaldua respectively, each author interrelates the issue of bilingualism and bi-culturalism as a personal, narrative-style, life experience. Their personal experience all share the same setting; them during childhood deprived of speaking their own language, struggling to get through school and get accepted in the American society and the impact on their lives as a result of such pressure. When comparing the short stories, it is clear that each individual writer share several aspects in common, as well as differences. One of the most recurring aspects that each author conveys in their short story is the notion of one’s self recognition – identity – as a child which they do not recognise when they are at school; in America. H. Kingston is Chinese, whilst Rodriguez is Mexican and Anzaldua is of Spanish origins. An example in ‘Aria’ is when Rodriguez says: “…I easily noted the difference between classroom language and the language of home” (286). Here, Rodriguez is emphasizing on the fact that he feels completely excluded from the class. When...
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