...that she had to overcome in order to adapt to a new life of poverty and cultural diversity in New York after leaving behind her affluent and luxurious life in South Korea. This article discusses the author’s point of view as 13-year-old Korean immigrant who moved to United States out of desperation and financial tragedy rather than in search of a better life. The author’s main idea in this essay is to convey the message that the foundation of divided immigrant groups, cultural differences and generation gap are so deeply rooted even in the United States that it is impossible to eradicate them from the mindset of people. The author emphasizes on the fact that her wealthy and sheltered background in Korea created confusion. Thus, making it difficult for her to identify with people’s perception of her race in America “One new fact that took more time to absorb was that I was now Asian, a term that I had heard mentioned only in social studies class”, stated author Suki Kim in her article. She continued, “In Korea, yellow was the color of the forsythia that bloomed every spring along the fence that separated our estate from the houses down the hill. I certainly never thought of my skin as being the same shade.” The author struggled to accept the fact that her race was divided based on her skin tone and that she had to transition as an immigrant from a fairy tale princess. The authors novice understanding of cultural differences in United States started settling when she did not...
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...Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context Leah Rang University of Tennessee - Knoxville, lrang@utk.edu Recommended Citation Rang, Leah, "Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2010. http://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/655 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact trace@utk.edu. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Leah Rang entitled "Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimaging the Nation in a Global Context." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, with a major in English. Urmila Seshagiri, Major Professor We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance: Lisi Schoenbach, Bill Hardwig Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official student records.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Leah Rang entitled ―Bharati Mukherjee and the American Immigrant: Reimagining the Nation...
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...When I was a child, I had to wear cultural clothing for an event at my local Hindu temple. As I was putting the clothes on, I was very worried that others would judge me for embracing my religion in public. My mother noticed my anxiousness and reassured me that people in the community accept people for who they are and that nothing would happen. I nodded in agreement, hopeful that the day will be good while wearing traditional Indian clothing. Going to the temple, all was fine, since no one had commented on what I was wearing. However, on our way back from the cultural event, things were different. We had stopped by a grocery store and that is where I became exposed to the lack of tolerance in people. As my family and I walked in, people stopped...
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...The threat America’s way of life is a quite questionable context to define. What I see here is a Catch 22, where we either allow immigrants and that changes America, or we don’t allow immigrants and that changes America. As John Isbister said, “The essence of American life is that it is composed of different groups, different cultures, races, religions, attitudes, folkways and ideologies, differences that give the country its distinctiveness. Current im-migration is sure to change the mixture, but change is not new; the cultural mixture of America has been changing continuously.” There is no auto defined definition to the American way of life, it is always changing whether we want it to or not. As Charon mentions, “Change occurs in every social organization, and it is ongoing and inevitable”. However, I do see this threat to be almost negligible, our biggest problem is within the racial conflictions of society adapting to a change. America has always been seen as a melting pot of cultures; however the melting pot concept is too vague to define. A melting pot means the society confirms to a new identity, however this is not such the case. The traditions are all varying and different outlooks still; we are not some culture defined as a mix of one pot, but rather a mix of many other pots. This correlates to Charon’s idea of the individual making a difference, “Attempts to influence society are countered by the power of long-standing social patterns that are normally defended by...
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...state. Additionally, the pro side presents the case of giving the illegal alien a better opportunity then they have in their home country. Lastly, they argue that the benefits, such as taxes, outweigh the costs that an immigrant will incur. The idea is that an immigrant buys our products and lives in our country, which contributes to our G.D.P. On the other side of the argument, the con-immigration side argues that the immigrants steal jobs from the U.S. residents. Since immigrants can be paid cheaper wages, an employer would rather pay an immigrant than a resident. The next issue the con side has it that immigrants bring problems to America, such as cultural differences and language barriers. Not only do they bring problems, but according the con side, they cause problems as well. They argue that because there are more immigrants trying to get in the country than there are border patrol agents, they cannot protect the country like they are supposed to. Another issue the con side has is that the money the immigrants earn usually gets sent back to their families in their home countries. The final issue from the con side is that the cost of an illegal alien is more than the benefits that they bring to the U.S. The values on the pro side are culture, finances, life, and...
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...Children of Immigrants A familiar story of the American narrative and a great theme in psychology of second generation is that the children of immigrants believe that they are the main reason for immigration of their parents who in most cases stake their hopes for future on the success of their children. Perceiving the sacrifices that are made by parents, seemingly on their behalf, not any amount of guilt toward their parents touches the children and drives their motivation to obtain a dynamic which in turn can offer the immigrant parents some level of psychological control over their offspring. Growing up in the immigrant families is usually marked by discordant acculturation, when the children’s learning of new ways and simultaneous loss of immigrant culture outstrips that of parents. When this occurs, linguistic and cultural gaps among them can exacerbate the intergenerational conflicts; make the children feel ashamed of their parents as they attempt to blend with the native friends, and lead to reversal roles, as the children take up adult roles earlier by dint of situations. All families of immigrants must contend with “stress and storm†adolescence and “generation gapsâ€, and the acculturation to new society. This is often a conflictive and complex process that is full of fault lines that are non-reducible to simplistic elaborations of parental pressure or peer pressure. Nevertheless, at the heart of the matter is the relation between children and their immigrant parents...
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...been a wonderful experience. For immigrants in the United States culture differences can be difficult and complicate. Assimilating two separate cultures is an ongoing challenge. In this essay, I will describe the issues many immigrants face in regards to diversity, stereotyping, preserving self identity and personal values. America is nation that is populated with a culturally diverse group of people. The United States has welcomed more immigrants than any other country. The steady stream of people coming to America has had a profound effect on the evolution of American society. America is known as the land of the free and people from all over the world are attracted by promise of opportunity and success. It is not easy for those who move to the United States from other countries. It takes a lot of courage and sacrifice to leave your homeland and come to a new country, but the prospect of a better life makes the risk worth taking. Immigrants who come to America enrich the country by bringing aspects of their native cultures with them. For example, Hispanic Americans celebrate their culture with street fairs and other festivities on Cinco de Mayo. Other cultures, such as African Americans celebrate both Kwanzaa, a festival drawn from African rituals. As the population of the United States becomes more diverse its people are being exposed to holidays and traditions they would never have been experienced. One of the hurdles that immigrants encounter is stereotyping. Many false...
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...Children of Immigrants A familiar story of the American narrative and a great theme in psychology of second generation is that the children of immigrants believe that they are the main reason for immigration of their parents who in most cases stake their hopes for future on the success of their children. Perceiving the sacrifices that are made by parents, seemingly on their behalf, not any amount of guilt toward their parents touches the children and drives their motivation to obtain a dynamic which in turn can offer the immigrant parents some level of psychological control over their offspring. Growing up in the immigrant families is usually marked by discordant acculturation, when the children’s learning of new ways and simultaneous loss of immigrant culture outstrips that of parents. When this occurs, linguistic and cultural gaps among them can exacerbate the intergenerational conflicts; make the children feel ashamed of their parents as they attempt to blend with the native friends, and lead to reversal roles, as the children take up adult roles earlier by dint of situations. All families of immigrants must contend with “stress and storm†adolescence and “generation gapsâ€, and the acculturation to new society. This is often a conflictive and complex process that is full of fault lines that are non-reducible to simplistic elaborations of parental pressure or peer pressure. Nevertheless, at the heart of the matter is the relation between children and their immigrant parents...
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...is very important for me to understand diversity and become culturally competent in order to provide a better and more effective way to the families. Understanding cultural differences will help me better understand and communication with the families that avoid conflict and misunderstanding. I have a different perception to look at cultural values and am aware of my own assumptions, values, and biases. Become awareness of diversity leads to appreciating of families and their unique backgrounds that also to increase the quality and efficiency of services that producing better results. As we become a more diverse society, it is important...
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...Cultural Diversity: Clients, Context, and Caring Health Promotion and Caring for Communities and Families ------------------------------------------------- Week 4: Friday October 11, 2013 Prologue Care is the essence of nursing. Care involves recognizing and transcending the barriers and challenges established by cultural differences. The nurse considers the common threads that are held by all, as well as the unique elements maintained by the client What is Culture? * Culture is a learned, patterned behavioural response acquired over time that includes implicit versus explicit beliefs, attitudes, values, customs, norms, taboos, arts, and life ways accepted by a community of individuals. Culture is primarily learned and transmitted in the family and other social organizations, is shared by the majority of the group, includes an individualized worldview, guides decision making, and facilitates self worth and self-esteem * “The learned, shared, and transmitted values, beliefs, norms and lifeways of a particular culture that guides thinking, decisions and actions in patterned ways and often intergenerationally” (Leininger, 2006 as cited in Stamler& Yiu, 2012, p. 125) * Culture is more than beliefs, practices, and values (Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada, 2009) * Culture is learned, shared, and changes. It also encompasses all aspects of our lives. What we have learned to value represents our assumptions about how to perceive, think, and...
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...Children of Immigrants A familiar story of the American narrative and a great theme in psychology of second generation is that the children of immigrants believe that they are the main reason for immigration of their parents who in most cases stake their hopes for future on the success of their children. Perceiving the sacrifices that are made by parents, seemingly on their behalf, not any amount of guilt toward their parents touches the children and drives their motivation to obtain a dynamic which in turn can offer the immigrant parents some level of psychological control over their offspring. Growing up in the immigrant families is usually marked by discordant acculturation, when the children’s learning of new ways and simultaneous loss of immigrant culture outstrips that of parents. When this occurs, linguistic and cultural gaps among them can exacerbate the intergenerational conflicts; make the children feel ashamed of their parents as they attempt to blend with the native friends, and lead to reversal roles, as the children take up adult roles earlier by dint of situations. All families of immigrants must contend with “stress and storm” adolescence and “generation gaps”, and the acculturation to new society. This is often a conflictive and complex process that is full of fault lines that are non-reducible to simplistic elaborations of parental pressure or peer pressure. Nevertheless, at the heart of the matter is the relation between children and their immigrant parents,...
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...In America Paper America is a nation of immigrants. From the early colonists to the current entrants, indigenous and cultural diversity is plentiful. When this nation was still undeveloped, the settling population was of the same background; they were white, Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant background. Over time, Northern Europeans wanted entry, and eventually, Eastern and Southern Europeans, Asians, South and Central Americans came to America by the thousands. The American medley, what we call the melting pot was gradually emerging, but during progression, differences became noticeable. Such differences involved varied religions, races, and ethnic heritage. Two groups that I have researched are Chinese and Armenian immigrants. Chinese immigrants came to America in the mid-19th century. Chinese came to settle in California to join the Gold Rush that originated at Sutter’s Mill in Sacramento, California. But once the gold lessened, they came to seek work. The Chinese immigrants were mostly farmers who left china due to the economy and governmental dilemmas in China. Most anticipated on working hard, earn a large portion of money, so they could return back to country with their families as well-off men. During this time, the Chinese was no different than any other immigrant who came to America. They lived in neighborhoods and communities yet the Chinese maintained their culture. But, while a lot of Americans looked down on every immigrant, the Chinese were measured ethnically as well...
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...Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle, the Mossbachers and the Rincons are two families in which they both face different social, financial and cultural differences. This comes to show how immigrants and nonimmigrants’ mindset have different thinks and issues that they worry about. Not only did people face issues in this novel but also in real life. Cesar Chavez and Aniza Yezierska are two other people who have wanted the American Dream. Immigration is a consistent problem in the book. Those who come to America are here to make their “American Dream” come true. The Mossbachers and the Rincons have different views on what this dream is. They have different ideas of what social problems are. The Mossbachers care more about what others around them think. They want...
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...1. There are four important factors that cause international migration flows: economic pressures; social networks and connections between migrant sending and receiving countries; immigration policies; and cultural perceptions people in developing countries have about immigration and immigrant receiving countries. Indicate which of these you believe is the most important and second most important factors and explain why. There are four important factors that cause international migration flow. The most important factor is the economic pressures and second most important is the cultural perceptions people in developing countries have about immigration and immigrant receiving countries. Both these factors are relatively related and linked together. The most important factor that influences migration flows is the economic pressures. People who pursue better wages and a higher standard of living economically motivate most labor migrations. This is generated by the push- pull theory that explains how migrants are pushed to leave the areas of origin because of demographic growth, low standards of living, and lack of economic opportunities (Castles and Miller 22). Migrants are then pulled to move to receiving countries because they are attracted to the demand they have for labor, availability of land, economic opportunities, and political freedoms (Castles and Miller 22). The push-pull factor is one of the main explanations as to why the economic pressures are the biggest factors that...
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...The Languagelessness of Immigrants Ivy Dr. S. Xie English 239.03 Nov 21, 2012 People are in the fortunate position of choosing where in the world you would like to live. However, most immigrants facing removal proceedings are frequently hamstrung by language and cultural barriers. Both Kingston’s Woman Warrior and Suki Kim’s The Interpreter illustrate languagelessness of Chinese and Korean immigrants across American states, which are rejection by failing assimilation into American mainstream, loneliness and isolation from other people, and sense of identity crisis. Rejection by failing assimilation into American mainstream For the first generation born in America, it is especially difficult to reconcile the heavy-handed and often restrictive traditions of the emigrants with the relative freedom of life in America. In Women Warrior, Kingston draws a sharp contrast between her fantasy about Fa Mu Lan, the Chinese traditional woman warrior, and the defining moments of her real "American life." Fa Mu Lan had her village's grievances tattooed on her back; Kingston has Chinese stories practically drilled into her brain and is labeled with racial epithets. Her personal struggle and vengeance lie in making sense of the stories through writing, in depicting through words the struggles of growing up Chinese-American. There is an important difference, though, Fa Mu Lan could achieve her vengeance and then return home, but Kingston's vengeance seems to be a never-ending struggle...
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