ipl-logo

Comparison Of Crying In H-Mart And In The Land Of The Free

854 Words4 Pages

While there are many big ideas and issues presented to us in “Crying in H-Mart” by Michelle Zauner, one that seems very prevalent is the cultural disconnect Zauner feels between herself and her family's heritage. The text “In the Land of the Free” by Sui Sin Far also shares a similar idea of cultural disconnect due to immigration laws. Both of these texts show us that having an ethnic and social divide within family members can cause instability within the family itself.
Zauner writes about not being able to understand Korean fully, which leads to a massive culture and social divide between herself and her family members. She writes “Growing up in America with a Caucasian father and a Korean mother, I relied on my mom for access to our Korean …show more content…

The story follows a Chinese mother and father who are separated from their child when he is taken to be assimilated into American culture. After ten months of being brainwashed and being forced to forget his culture, the child is returned to his parents. However, he is unable to recognize them or connect with them on a familial level. The text says, “She fell on her knees and stretched her hungry arms toward her son. But the Little One shrunk from her and tried to hide himself in the folds of the white woman’s skirt. ‘Go’way, go’way!’ he bade his mother”. This quote showcases how the cultural divide caused by the child's assimilation has caused him to feel disconnected from his parents, which has caused instability within the …show more content…

She writes, “My aunts and mom and grandmother would jabber on in Korean, and I would eat and listen, unable to comprehend, bothering my mom every so often, asking her to translate”. This quote showcases how her inability to understand the language her family speaks has led to her feeling like an outsider within her own family. This sense of otherness has caused her to feel disconnected from her Korean heritage, which has led to a social divide between herself and her family.
Similarly, the child in “In the Land of the Free” has been assimilated into American culture, causing him to feel disconnected from his Chinese heritage and his family. The text says, “The little boy’s face was round and dimpled and his eyes were very bright”. This quote showcases how the child's assimilation has caused him to adopt American cultural norms, which has caused him to feel disconnected from his Chinese heritage. As a result, he is unable to connect with his parents on a familial level, which has caused instability within the

Show More
Related

Summary Of Laughing Without An Accent By Firoozeh Dumas

1830 Words | 8 Pages

With all of the cultures, religions, and governments in today’s world, it can surely be a shock transitioning from one culture to a completely new one. You may not speak the language of the people around you, eat the food they eat, or wear the same clothes they wear. Firoozeh Dumas experienced this kind of difficulty growing up, having to grow up as an Iranian child in America when the world wasn’t as accepting of the Islamic culture and religion. In her memoir Laughing Without an Accent, Dumas recalls stories from her past about her family, her experiences in America, and her observations of the differences between American and Iranian life. These stories act as real-life examples that reveal the importance of family and how different cultures

Read More

Dual Identity In Amy Tan's A Pair Of Tickets

670 Words | 3 Pages

So, when these children visit their actual homelands, they experience all the realities of dual identity. They are often confused about what to do and what not to do.

Read More

Strength And Bravery In Takaki's A Different Mirror

1431 Words | 6 Pages

In the story, the reader learns how Hom Hing (the husband), and Lae Choo (the wife), had filed their immigration papers before the birth of their child who had been born in China, so they learn there that their baby did not have any proper certification to enter when Lae Choo was returning to San Francisco. In the beginning,

Read More

American Born Chinese By Gene Luen Yang

1339 Words | 6 Pages

Many negative experiences the characters face in “American Born Chinese” reflect the theme of how wanting to belong and be accepted can change how one perceives their own identity and how it can affect one’s relationships. This is evident

Read More

Americanized Rebel Without A Green Card Essay

579 Words | 3 Pages

Sara says, "I remember once asking my dad if he felt like he belonged in America. He said he didn't know. He said he always felt like an outsider, like he was always observing but never really participating" (Saedi 4). This demonstrates how difficult cultural assimilation can be for some people, particularly those who have strong ties to their cultural heritage. Sara's father's experience demonstrates how cultural assimilation is a difficult process, with individuals facing unique challenges based on their cultural background and personal

Read More

Amy Tan Cheeks Analysis

175 Words | 1 Pages

When the meal finally came, her relatives reach across the table and lick their chops while Robert family waited patiently for the food. She was embarrassed by her family. Her mom came up to her and said I know you want to be American but inside you must always be Chinese. She didn’t agree with her then but now she understands and proud of her culture.

Read More

Sweet And Respectful Analysis

611 Words | 3 Pages

However, Dumas’s parents teach her lesson about when people are moving to other country, and do not forget the people and the culture of the family. For example, Dumas dad gives a lesson when he is helping his relative and his friends from Iran. Furthermore, every weekend her dad invites them for dinner to show her daughter that it is important to not forget the culture. Also, Dumas mother cooks their own dishes to share with friends and relatives every weekend

Read More

American Born Chinese Thesis

880 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang (2006), it talks about three different people’s stories. The author starts off with telling a story about a monkey called the Monkey King, who lives in the jungle, seeking for higher power to become considered a god in the book. The author also tells a story about an American born Chinese boy named Jin Wang, who moves from San Francisco and struggles with fitting in at a new school. The last story the author tells is about a boy named Danny who has his cousin Chin-Kee from China visit every year. Danny ends up struggling to keep his reputation in adequate shape at school after his cousin visits causing him to switch schools often.

Read More

Cultural Symbolism In Madeleine Thien's Simple Recipes

1223 Words | 5 Pages

Like the narrator’s father, he notices the family’s cultural identity is slowly dying. His wife, a native Malaysian, is adopting a new identity as a “sales clerk at [Woodworks]” (340) in Canada. In marriage, a couple is supposed to share the responsibility to raise their children and support each other. However, she may have given up on the teaching responsibility from the moment the language “never came easily to [the daughter]” (340). Ultimately, the father is solely responsible handing down his family’s cultural and social roots to his children.

Read More

Summary Of Two Kinds By Amy Tan

461 Words | 2 Pages

Amy Tan writes about the battle of cultures between a first-generation Chinese-American daughter, Jing-mei, and her mother, Suyan, a Chinese immigrant. People have different cultural backgrounds which are very special to them. Usually families’ tradition and thoughts are affected by their cultural backgrounds. In the story “Two Kinds” the relationship of the mother and

Read More

Amy Tan's Essay 'Fish Cheeks'

696 Words | 3 Pages

As many Chinese-Americans grew up in the 1960’s, one women described it best in her multiple literary works. Bestselling, Chinse-American writer, Amy Tan in her autobiographic essay, “Fish Cheeks”, illustrates her humiliating experience at a Christmas Eve dinner at the age of fourteen. Tan’s purpose is to interpret the idea of how her mother cared for Tan deeply and wanted her to be proud of her Chinese heritage and family. She adopts a nostalgic tone in order to engage relatable thoughts and feelings in her adult readers. Even decades after the essay had been written, readers can still relate to the embarrassing situation that Tan had to face.

Read More

Analysis Of Two Kinds By Amy Tan

1369 Words | 6 Pages

For a nine-year-old who wants nothing more than to make her mother proud this was exciting. In the beginning, we can see her excitement and desire, “in the beginning I was just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so.” (Tan). However, as we follow the story we see her excitement quickly fade to sorrow and anger. The high expectations immigrant families place on their children is still a very relevant social issue and can be witnessed throughout the United States.

Read More

The Importance Of Communication In The Joy Luck Club

1225 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the entire novel, the mothers and daughters face inner struggles, family conflict, and societal collision. The divergence of cultures produces tension and miscommunication, which effectively causes the collision of American morals, beliefs, and priorities with Chinese culture which

Read More

Where The Gods Fly Analysis

976 Words | 4 Pages

The short story is about a Chinese immigrant family who moves to America. The mother of the family is the protagonist and she is trying to give her daughter the best life as possible. After about 11 years in America, it is hard for her to see her daughter Pearl, live a life like an American. Therefore, she struggles with the decision of taking Pearl out of dancing school, so she can get a proper education.

Read More

Cultural Conflict In Amy Tan's Short Story 'Two Kinds'

477 Words | 2 Pages

In the story the mother is saying it's her daughter's fault that she looks like a Negro Chinese person. When the real truth is it's not her daughter's fault she looks like a Negro Chinese person. The way you look is all part of your culture appearance background. Than she made a comment about how she looked like a boy with curly really short

Read More

More about Comparison Of Crying In H-Mart And In The Land Of The Free

Related Topics

Open Document