Tyrants In Ronald Takaki's A Different Mirror

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In A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki's sixth chapter Fleeing “The Tyrant’s Heel”, he describes the experience of the Irish immigrants who came to America during the Jackson era. They left their homeland to escape the harsh conditions and famine, but ended up struggling just as much in America. Their plan was to find jobs, a mode of survival, and an overall better life. The Irish were going through a hard time back home, due to the increase in British occupation and the horrible famine that was a result of a disease that wiped out their crops that was their main food source for the Irish. When they arrived, they were forced to compete with many of the African and Chinese laborers that were already in America. They faced low wages, a fight for sustainable jobs, and even discrimination. As generations went on, the Irish were being more accepted into American society. After a few years, more Irish were native born and "had greater occupational mobility than their parents". The Irish were also able to assimilate into white society because they were, white. This is something to take a close look, because, they’ve been black, or any other racial minority …show more content…

With a hard competition, the Irish fought for equality and claimed that they should be accepted more than a black or Chinese. On page 139 an Irish stated, “How he labored so severely digging cellars, up before the starts and working till darkness, driven like horses to be a slave for the Americans.” The blacks and Irish were both viewed the same and as outcasts. “To be called an Irishman is almost as great an insult as to be stigmatized as a (N word) feller.” Ireland is an island filled with acres of opportunity for many sorts of agriculture. For centuries the Irish prospered in their homeland, until the British government stepped in and sought after economic

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