Emmanuel Yonas Mrs. Boike English 11 7 march 2023 Rough Draft Bijan learns to cherish two American ideals that are essential to the nation's identity as he transitions through the issues of racism and discrimination: freedom and hardwork. Bijan's personality is characterized by his desire for acceptance and success, but he also wants to be able to accomplish his goals via hard work and dedication. Bijan learns to value the ability to follow his dreams and the worth of perseverance through his experiences. Bijan's values are significant since they stand for the fundamental principles of the United States and the fairness idea. The significance of Bijan's principles also emphasizes the worth of striving hard to realize one's goals, especially …show more content…
Bijan, the protagonist, experiences the importance of freedom when he is unfairly targeted for being Iranian-American. As a result, Bijan comes to value the freedom to be himself and the freedom from discrimination. For example, when Bijan is being questioned by school administrators, he thinks, "Freedom was a fundamental American value, and I had always taken it for granted. I had never felt truly trapped before, but now I knew what it was like to have my freedom taken away" (Farizan 103). This quote shows how Bijan has come to appreciate the value of freedom after being targeted for his ethnicity. He realizes that freedom is not just about the ability to do what one wants, but also about being free from discrimination and persecution. In the video "What is Freedom | People from Around the World," there are several moments where people discuss their understanding of freedom. One example is at the 1:30 mark, where a woman from India states, "Freedom is when you have the power to think, to express, to do, and to choose what you want in your life." This moment highlights the importance of individual agency and autonomy in the concept of …show more content…
Despite facing discrimination and racist remarks from his teammates, Bijan doesn't let this affect his love for the sport. In the book, Bijan is a talented basketball player, and his hard work is recognized by his coach. "You worked hard, and you earned your spot," Coach Jhonson tells him (Farizan p. 111). Bijan's commitment to basketball is not just about winning; it is about the effort he puts in every day to get better at what he loves. Bijan's values of hard work align with American values of self-reliance and perseverance. The idea that with hard work and dedication, one can achieve success is ingrained in American culture. Bijan embodies this value through his dedication to his passion and his determination to succeed despite the obstacles in his way. According to the video "Do Americans Work Too Much?" by Screen Prism, "the average European gets about three times as many days of paid vacation as his counterpart in America" (0:21-0:23). Furthermore, the video presents data from Ipsos consulting firm indicating that "only 57 percent of Americans take advantage of their [paid vacation] days" (1:45-1:47), while "89 percent of the French use all of their days off"