Since the early 15th century, America has built itself upon a foundation of an “alien” society, with it being paramount to the overall development that this nation has made since then. By just hearing the narrative “America is a melting pot of different cultures”, it is understood that diversity is key in America's current society, adding a great deal of variety to our already assorted “stew” of citizens. The miscellany of people in this country has countlessly proved to be beneficial in not only broadening the minds of those who inhabit it, but also in connecting heritages worldwide. However, our attitude towards immigrants, even in spite of their undeniable contributions to this country, prove to be quite negative. Despite the significance …show more content…
However, countless factors, such as aging and the exposure to new cultures, keeps one’s initial beliefs from staying exactly the same over time. This holds especially true for immigrants, with being placed into an entirely foreign environment adding further onto the difficulties of upholding these values. While gradually adjusting to a new environment may seem to be a capability, doing so without completely altering your character entirely turns out to be exceptionally difficult. Instead, we are left to question whether you can “change in the same way the river changes color but still be the same person” (Tan, 53), which seems to nearly impossible. This can either take form in the adoption of language, or just certain mannerisms and habits in general. Though seemingly trivial, these adjustments prove to have a tremendous impact on immigrants, especially seeing how “insistent immigrants are that learning English [and other American traditions] is critical for their success” (Farkas, 1). Even the overall belief in being a “hard-working American”, a narrative that holds [great weight] in our society’s overall view on immigration, has consistently driven migrants away from practicing their beliefs in the ways that they once