Becoming American - Immigration Stories
During our third week of Crossing Cultural Borders, we will explore various stories where the child/teen protagonist immigrates into America.
Why is immigration (entering America) so much more compelling a topic as compared to emmigration (leaving America) or even traveling abroad? What about immigration stories makes it so popular?
Perhaps because these immigration/assimilation stories force us, specifically the American readers, to re-examine our own culture through the eyes of an immigrant who has never seen that which we consider normal? Perhaps we are seeking a new perspective on something that we usually take for granted. Also, unlike other countries, every American has immigration stories somewhere in the family history, and reliving an immigration story can help one discover a sense of self.
America has made a name for itself as the land of immigrants, the land of freedom and equality for all, though as history progresses that definition has shifted. From the beginning, America certainly wasn't a free country for African slaves and their descendants. Nor was America exactly fair giving Native American Indians the most undesirable desert lands for their reservations. Nor was America free to its some of its citizens during World War II, when thousands of Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate (and thus lose all their property and possessions) and live in camps in the middle of the desert. Nor was America exactly welcoming of all peoples in laws like the Chinese Exclusion act in effect from 1882 to 1945. Et cetera.
Yet for all its faults, America is still seen as the land of opportunity, attracting immigrants from all over the world since its inception and even today. America has often been called the melting pot of the world, and the struggle to assimilate has always been a huge conflict for immigrants, no matter where they settle or what time period they arrive. Learning American English, learning American customs, adapting to the strange American foods, these struggles, juxtaposed to the challenge of retaining cultural and personal identity within America, are often found in many immigrant stories.
So this week we will look at historical and contemporary immigration stories. As always, please feel free to comment sharing your recommendations and ideas!
I'm curious to know if you are a fan of multicultural literature but not fantasy and/or vice versa, why do you like reading one but not the other? Because I really believe there are so many similarities!
Our Related Postings:
Why is immigration (entering America) so much more compelling a topic as compared to emmigration (leaving America) or even traveling abroad? What about immigration stories makes it so popular?
Perhaps because these immigration/assimilation stories force us, specifically the American readers, to re-examine our own culture through the eyes of an immigrant who has never seen that which we consider normal? Perhaps we are seeking a new perspective on something that we usually take for granted. Also, unlike other countries, every American has immigration stories somewhere in the family history, and reliving an immigration story can help one discover a sense of self.
America has made a name for itself as the land of immigrants, the land of freedom and equality for all, though as history progresses that definition has shifted. From the beginning, America certainly wasn't a free country for African slaves and their descendants. Nor was America exactly fair giving Native American Indians the most undesirable desert lands for their reservations. Nor was America free to its some of its citizens during World War II, when thousands of Japanese-Americans were forced to relocate (and thus lose all their property and possessions) and live in camps in the middle of the desert. Nor was America exactly welcoming of all peoples in laws like the Chinese Exclusion act in effect from 1882 to 1945. Et cetera.
Yet for all its faults, America is still seen as the land of opportunity, attracting immigrants from all over the world since its inception and even today. America has often been called the melting pot of the world, and the struggle to assimilate has always been a huge conflict for immigrants, no matter where they settle or what time period they arrive. Learning American English, learning American customs, adapting to the strange American foods, these struggles, juxtaposed to the challenge of retaining cultural and personal identity within America, are often found in many immigrant stories.
So this week we will look at historical and contemporary immigration stories. As always, please feel free to comment sharing your recommendations and ideas!
I'm curious to know if you are a fan of multicultural literature but not fantasy and/or vice versa, why do you like reading one but not the other? Because I really believe there are so many similarities!
Our Related Postings:
- Foreign Children Working to Become American
- Revisioning Our Immigrant Ancestors
- The Contemporary Immigrant
- Laurence Yep's Golden Mountain Chronicles
- Exploring Our Immigrant Heritages
- Recent Immigrants from Asia
Labels: CCC
posted by Emily Jiang at 9:15 AM
feed me
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home