In the article "In the Strawberry Fields", Eric Schlosser uses an abundance of rhetorical strategies to influence the audience. "In the Strawberry Fields" is honest and gets to the point of the illegal immigrants working. His in depth description of the migratory workforce in California proves how farmers who pick strawberries for a living are the lowest-paid, and hardest working, which makes it an unfavorable job amongst farmers. The author uses eloquent details to get the message across that California has also become one of the most dependent states to have the availability of cheap labor. He descriptively details the backbreaking work migrants perform and the financial unsteadiness to make readers aware of their hardships and motivate a
This stereotype overlooks the challenges and diversity within immigrant communities, reducing individuals to a single narrative. It fails to acknowledge the differences and struggles that individuals may face on their journey of assimilation and cultural identity (Marchetta, 1992). In contrast, Josie's grandmother represents the stereotype of an incompetent and unassimilated immigrant. This stereotype undermines the contributions made by immigrants and overlooks their resilience in embracing their new home while preserving their cultural heritage. It reinforces a narrow and limited view of immigrants and fails to recognize the richness and complexity of their experiences (Marchetta, 1992).
Although sharing identical titles and depicting presumably interchangeable scenes, Thomas Nast and G.F. Keller’s political cartoons, Uncle Sam’s Thanksgiving Dinner, illustrate the East and West coast’s contradictory opinions toward the prevailing issues of immigration and its relation to their differing views of the immigrants’ social status, specifically in regards to the Chinese. Written four years after the conclusion of the Civil War and heavily published in the prominent political magazine, Harper’s Weekly, Nast’s cartoon portrays a simple binary of race consisting of an in-group and out-group, with the Chinese as members of the out-group, in reality but incorporated into the national body in Nast’s idealistic depiction. In contrast, Keller’s image, published eight years later in
Sanders makes the point that by pursuing this level of nationalism, one is treading down a dark path of racism and greed. Sanders goes on to say, “But who would pretend that a history of migration has immunized the United States against bigotry? And even if, by uprooting ourselves, we shed our chauvinism, is that all we lose?” (Sanders 40). Through this quote, Sanders proclaims how Americans abuse their multicultural descent to justify acts of racism and deceit.
Qian Julie Wang’s memoir, “Beautiful Country” portrays her experiences immigrating from China to the United States at a young age. She discusses her challenges in adapting to a new culture and school system, changes in her family’s financial situation, and the constant fear of deportation as an undocumented immigrant. Through her personal story, the author sheds light on the struggles faced by immigrants in the United States, particularly those who are undocumented, and the emotional toll these experiences can have on individuals and families. In her memoir, Wang describes several biographical disruptions she experienced as an immigrant to the United States. These include the sudden switch in the family’s economic status, Julie’s transition
The thick viscous tar further symbolizes the oppressive weight of the capitalist system that keeps farmworkers trapped in economic hardship. Through this example Viramontes is able to convey the way that societal norms pull down on immigrant families and these pits serve as a parallel to the thought process that no matter how long one can live in America there will still always be an immigrant part to a person and it becomes insult over injury if one is of lower class status, and one will always have that part of oneself pulling them
Over the years, immigrants have influenced many aspects of American society and has had a vital role in shaping the United States to what it is today. According to the US Census Bureau, an agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System responsible for producing data about the American people and economy, “non-Hispanic white population in the U.S. declined from 85 percent in 1965 to 62.2 percent in 2014, and the forecast is for the percentage of non-Hispanic whites to fall to 43.6 percent in 2060” (qtd. in Walsh). Despite the rise of immigrants and the profound impact they have had on society, many immigrants face perpetual discrimination; this idea has appeared many times throughout Barbara Kingsolver’s novel The Bean Trees. Taking place during the 1970s, the main character, Taylor, moves from Kentucky to Arizona; along the way, she meets Esperanza and Estevan, illegal immigrants from Guatemala. As she gets to know them better, she notices they are forced to live a monotonous, arduous life which implies that immigrants face prejudice from Americans who claim to be accepting.
Chapter six examines the anti-Chinese sentiment with the emerging class antagonism and turmoil between white capitalists and workers. The unwelcomed arrival of Chinese immigrants brought along their own social organizations such as the huiguan, fongs, and tongs. These types of social organizations secured areas of employment and housing for Chinese immigrants in California. This social structure that was unknown to Anglos led them to also categorize Chinese on the same level as Indians by depicting them as lustful heathens whom were out to taint innocent white women. These images were also perpetuated onto Chinese women, thus, also sexualizing them as all prostitutes.
“Twinkies” share the same main idea of racism. The two authors explain the discrimination and judgment that they receive for being different. Staples states in his article, “It is not altogether clear to me how I reached the ripe old age of twenty-two without being conscious of the lethality nighttime pedestrian attributed to me” (Eschholz 348).This quote appears in Staples’ article after explaining the reactions given to him by the people he encounters while walking the streets fighting off sleeplessness. In Hsiang’s article, she writes, “...we cannot completely embody one culture when we are living in another.” Hsiang here is explaining the struggle of adapting to the American society with having a rich Asian background.
Furthermore, in Steinbeck’s excerpt from “The Harvest Gypsies,” the way migrant workers are perceived is shown as well. For example, Steinbeck explains how migrant workers “have come into the country where, because of the movement necessary to make a living, they are not allowed any vote whatever, but are rather considered a properly unprivileged class” (Steinbeck, “Harvest”). Migrant workers are seen as an “unprivileged class,” highlighting the true image a majority of America perceives migrant workers as. They only wish to find work to provide for their family or themselves, but instead, the opinions of Americans influence their ability to be fulfilled in life. Therefore, the status and image of migrant workers, fictional or real, highlight the inability to truly feel accomplished or content with one’s
Bridget Baker Dylan Thompson ENGL 128 1 May 2023 Approaches to Cultural Diversity in The Underground Railroad vs. Tropic of Orange One of the most controversial hot-button issues of 21st century politics has been the topic of cultural appropriation. While this phenomenon has been recognized by communities of color in America for decades, if not centuries, it is only fairly recently that it has become a common idea in the heads of many white Americans. Although the issue is now so politically charged that even its mere mentioning can trigger vicious discourse, its existence is now so factually proven that arguing against it is essentially a waste of time. While the topic can be approached from a variety of perspectives equally validly, there
Lydia and her family live in a small town in Ohio. At 1970s, racial and ethnic prejudice discrimination still exists in society. Because they are the only Chinese Americans in this town, where all the white Americans around, they are treated differently. Wherever Lydia walks in the town, she feels uncomfortable with her own skin, as she describes that, you noticed the girl across the aisle watching, the pharmacist watching, the checkout boy watching, and you saw yourself reflected in their stares: incongruous…You saw it in the little boys on the playground, stretching their eyes to slits with their fingers—Chinese—Japanese—look at these—and in the older boys who muttered ching chong ching chong ching as they passed you on the street, just
Even though the Great Depression was a time of hardship for every citizen, no matter color, age, sex, or amount of wealth, certain groups were discriminated against more than others. Even though Steinbeck’s characters, Candy, Crooks, and Lennie, each experience deliberate discrimination to single them out from the separated migrant workers, they allow hope to slip in. But loneliness to some extent, leads to
This slogan was not the only thing that people said to humiliate immigrants, American citizens had come up with names for different types of immigrants which further fueled the delirium in the country. Once laws were passed to restrict one group of immigrants, the American government immediately turned to the next group in hopes of “preserving their land.” Instead of realizing their mistakes, the government took this opportunity to enable restrictions on all immigrants. Mexicans becoming “illegal” in their own homeland, and other nationalities of Asian descent being treated horribly. However, not only immigrants were affected by the inequality America provided.
There can not be an “us” without a “them.” What is strong nationalism that anti-immigrant sentiment is based on if not putting down others? Even as the women in the building shun and reject the widow, spreading rumors about her crafts and using her pain as entertainment the widow never stops being kind and good to those around her. She cares for Lucy in the midst of her own pain, she protects women when the women around her do not. She is also filling the stereotype they expect of her of good manners, a kind of gratitude.
