I still remember the counselor’s surprised face, when I told her that I got placed into English1a on my placement test for my first year in West Valley College. I was wondering if I could be part of a program they had in school, so she had to ask for the classes I got placed into. Right when I told her, her eyes widened, her head tilted back, and there was a small pause. She went back to normal, and acted like nothing ever happened, but it has stayed with me ever since. I knew that she was questioning as to how, I, a stereotypical Mexican looking girl, got placed in that level. Yet, that was not my first encounter. I’ve had people question me as to how I do not have an accent when I speak, and how is it that I write exceptionally well. I can …show more content…
It is easy for us to wish that we looked like them, therefore many of us go as far as to reject the part of our identity, and only keeping the parts that align to those expectations. represents the microaggressions, and the struggles that Jin has endured, to the point of applying those ideas to himself and those around him, and finally disassociating from his chinese identity, until the Monkey, a mentor, helps him come to terms with his identity. The psychological choice for someone to disassociate themselves from part of their identity does not happen ; There are things that they have experienced in order for them to Cause and effect. Before it is possible to understand the effects of discrimination and how it forces an individual to try to change themselves to align to other’s expectations, it is important to take a step back and understand what exactly caused it. For Jin, the first encounter was when he was a young child. On the first day of third grade year at Mayflower Elementary Middle School, Jin encountered the smallest form of racism, a microaggression, which came from his new third grade teacher Mrs. Greeder. When she was first introducing Jin, she said “Class, I’d like us all to give a warm Mayflower Elementary welcome to your new friend and classmate Jin Jang!” …show more content…
It shows in the way they speak about the side they want to reject. The effect of the micro aggressions and straightforward racism began to take into effect for Jin just two years later. When a new student, Wei-Chen, was introduced in Jin’s fifth grade class, the teacher introduced him the same way that Jin’s third grade teacher introduced him for the first time. During the time of the introduction, the thought going through Jin’s mind is, “Something made me want to beat him up”(36). Jin never says what exactly, but Wei-Chen is everything that reminds him of the part of him, that he is beginning to detest. Then his thoughts become much louder when Wei-Chen decided to ask Jin a question in Chinese, “Sorry to bother you, but you’re Chinese, aren't you?” To which Jin replied with an annoyed and offensive tone, “You’re in America. Speak English”(37). Instead of easily responding with a simple yes, either in the language or not, it shows that Jin is beginning to take on the same belief as those who despise him, solely for his ethnicity, therefore rejecting anything that does not align with the American “standards”. And it also showed when Jin rejected Wei-Chen’s advances to become friends, “…eh… We-n-be friend?” But Jin responded, “I have enough friends”(38).
This stage of my adolescent life was very memorable. This was the time when my life was becoming more complicated as I struggled to find my own racial identity, and constantly questioning myself, “Who am I?” “Where do I belong?” while facing the pressure of “fitting in” as a biracial teen in prejudicial Asian society.
Chang-Rae Lee’s Native Speaker expresses prominent themes of language and racial identity. Chang-Rae Lee focuses on the struggles that Asian Americans have to face and endure in American society. He illustrates and shows readers throughout the novel of what it really means to be native of America; that true nativity of a person does not simply entail the fact that they are from a certain place, but rather, the fluency of a language verifies one’s defense of where they are native. What is meant by possessing nativity of America would be one’s citizenship and legality of the country. Native Speaker suggests that if one looks different or has the slightest indication that one should have an accent, they will be viewed not as a native of America, but instead as an alien, outsider, and the like. Therefore, Asian Americans and other immigrants feel the need to mask their true identity and imitate the native language as an attempt to fit into the mold that makes up what people would define how a native of America is like. Throughout the novel, Henry Park attempts to mask his Korean accent in hopes to blend in as an American native. Chang-Rae Lee suggests that a person who appears to have an accent is automatically marked as someone who is not native to America. Language directly reveals where a person is native of and people can immediately identify one as an alien, immigrant, or simply, one who is not American. Asian Americans as well as other immigrants feel the need to try and hide their cultural identity in order to be deemed as a native of America in the eyes of others. Since one’s language gives away the place where one is native to, immigrants feel the need to attempt to mask their accents in hopes that they sound fluent ...
One of the greatest examples Tan presents in her story, is Suyuan’s unrelenting goal of turning Jing Mei into a prodigy. The Ed Sullivan Show brings Suyuan into making her daughter take piano lessons (601). Another example of this cultural conflict is when Jing Mei wants badly to express to her mom to let her be. Unlike her mother, Jing Mei doesn’t believe she could be anything, she could only be herself (606,607). According to the previously mentioned article, “Intergenerational Cultural Conflicts in Norms of Parental Warmth Among Chinese American immigrants, immigrant parents gravitate towards maintaining the values of their country of origin, even though the dominant culture also calls for socialization to American society. In the the Chinese culture, one is expected to be hardworking and
The idea of racism has evolved and has become less prevalent throughout the last century. Schools and public areas are unsegregated, voting rights, racial slurs being considered as unacceptable behavior etc. American sociologist and race theorist, Howard Winant states that’s “The ensuing approaches increased recognition of racial injustice and inequality, but did not overcome the discriminatory processes” (Winant,2000)Although the United states has come a long way to try to end racism, one cannot ignore the fact that it still exists. It is something that may seem invisible in society, but everybody knows that it still thrives and that it’s racial attitudes affect the way our society functions. One of these invisible forms of racism is called microagression. Microagression is the theory that certain interactions between different races can be interpreted as small acts of verbal aggression. Racial micro aggression has caused many behavior and identity problems between races in today’s society. In the article, "Microagressions in everyday life", Dr. Derald Wing Sue states that “Microaggressions are similar to carbon monoxide - “invisible, but potentially lethal” - continuous exposure to these type of interactions “can be a sort of death by a thousand cuts to the victim” It is a common experience that many people of different racial groups deal within their every day lives. They are harmful to society, creating a hostile environment, dividing people apart, creating inequalities, and decreasing productivity in the work and school environment.
As the school year comes to an end, Jin finally comes to the realization changing who he was didn’t help, signaling to modern America that change should only take place for the true better of ones self. Jins change not only got him laughed but also perceived to be even more different than he truly was.
Whether it be by race, class or gender, Lee shows that this divide is out of ignorance of the “other’s” reality. Accordingly, she also shows that the only cure for this ignorance is the enlightenment found in individuality. She uses the characters and their lives to shape, and point out the bigotry behind many of the social structures and norms, while at the same time pointing towards this solution. Most of all, Lee shows how this is an evident truth for all
My knowledge of microaggressions prior to research was limited. Before discussing the topic in class, I had never even heard the term microaggression. As of now, all I know is what I learned in class; that microaggressions are snide, racist comments that are made repeatedly. Due to my limited knowledge, I decided this would be an interesting topic to explore and read about. Through all of my research, my goal is to learn more about the effects and different types of people that experience microaggressions.
Under Sue’s theme of “Pathologizing cultural values/communication styles” (76), a form of microaggression develops. Asians are typically taught to listen rather than speak. The school system typically emphasizes participation to speak in class which may be more intimidating for Asians due to their background and important of silence. Participants of Sue’s study “felt forced to conform to Western norms and values (‘talking more’) when such behaviour violated their cultural upbringing” (77). In other words, Asians participants felt uncomfortable trying to fit the White standard of talking and participating in
Many of the stereotypes we encounter and hold today were formed because of events in the past, which were formed to rationalize and justify past social and political agendas. Many of the stereotypes that we now hold today were learned long ago and have been passed from one generation to the next. This book has forever inspired me to believe in the value of each child and discourage racist attitudes wherever I encounter them. Gregory Howard Williams encountered many hurdles growing up and successfully defeated them all. He could have easily confirmed the expectations of his negative peers and developed into a self-fulfilling prophecy, but instead he chose to shun his stereotypes and triumph over incredible odds.
“Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection,”Henry J.M Houwen once stated. In the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, Jin Wang and the monkey king experiences rejection as they interact with society. In the short story Linh Lai by Rebecca Rosenblum, Linh Lai helplessly suffers rejection as she struggles to meet her uncle and Mr. Koenburg’s expectations. In the short story Tapka by David Bezomozgis, people are rejected because of their differences. Rejection by society exists in Tapka and Linh Lai, whereas American Born Chinese incorporates both rejections by themselves and by society. Stories show that people are rejected by society, people in positions of power, or themselves when they are different from the majority.
By juxtaposing both the English and Mandarin language, Wong is effectively showcasing and questioning the institutional dominance the English language may possesses over both worldwide linguistics as well as individual’s freedom of expression; Stating we may need to break free from the constraining borders English may pose on an individual, and instead write or speak in any way we wish in hopes of effectively getting our point across. The narrator wants herself and others to break free from the strict dominant borders, empowering others to live a life filled with full freedom of expression regardless of one’s style of writing or minority
Stating that Chinese and all of whom who were deemed not as “Caucasian” will forever be perceived as forever foreigners. Not being able to understand America’s way of life. “Living in our community, recognizing no laws of this State, except through necessity, bringing with them their prejudices and national feuds, in which they indulge in open violation of law... “ By implying that Chinese are inferior by nature, since they only bring with them conflict, reaping rights that should not be given to them in the first place, and are incapable of understanding America’s Governing. Which nature has placed as “impassable difference” between the “superior” Caucasian race and the “inferior” Chinese
Transformation is necessary to adapt to any situation. The main characters in American Born Chinese transform their identities in order to deal with and fit into the society they live in. Jin Wang desperately wants to transform from Chinese background to an American. The Monkey King wishes to transform from “just a monkey” to a God. Danny transforms in order to deal with cultural criticism. These characters use these transformations in order to deal with the life they live in and understand who they are.
For those Asian Americans who make known their discontent with the injustice and discrimination that they feel, in the white culture, this translates to attacking American superiority and initiating insecurities. For Mura, a writer who dared to question why an Asian American was not allowed to audition for an Asian American role, his punishment was “the ostracism and demonization that ensued. In essence, he was shunned” (Hongo 4) by the white people who could not believe that he would attack their superior American ways. According to writers such as Frank Chin and the rest of the “Aiiieeeee!” group, the Americans have dictated Asian culture and created a perception as “nice and quiet” (Chin 1972, 18), “mama’s boys and crybabies” without “a man in all [the] males.” (Chin 1972, 24). This has become the belief of the proceeding generations of Asian Americans and therefore manifested these stereotypes.
The oppression that African American individuals endured for years, is still being practice with racial discrimination and prejudice. One strength of identifying as African American is the increase of belongingness that gave me the ability to share and live amongst individuals with the same physical appearance and in some cases, the same obstacles. However, this was not always the case. Growing into an adult gave me the advantage to travel and meet other African Americans that I believed shared some of the same historical and ethnic background. In this time period I was introduced to what is called within-group differences, which is the differences among the members of a group (Organista, 2010). Wanting to be around individuals that I believed to have a common core with was one of my flaws, but while traveling with individuals that I thought was like me I experienced that I had nothing in common with some of my travel friends. One of my friends stated that we had nothing in common with each other, because of our different social economic status, education and employment. At first I was offended, however, after taking psychology of ethnic groups in the United States there was a sense of understanding that not all individuals that look alike, are alike. This assumption that all groups function