‘I’ am an in-between-er. ‘I’ is first person. ‘I’ is personal. An in-between-er exchanges two contrasting principles and exists in two contrasting aspects. As I have lived equally amount of time in China and Australia, I fond myself questioning the means of ‘being’ which the Chinese 5,000 year heritage I brought with me constantly contradicting my Australian twenty-first century living. Regardless, I live mutually dependent on my Chinese tradition and modern western civilisations. I will not exist without either cultural element.
The contrast between my background and my present condition clarifies my investigation to my question. Frequently, I feel entangled, trapped. If I make a move, I feel two forces pulling me to opposite directions. Twenty years ago, when I just settled in Sydney, if anyone asked me where I was come from, ‘I’m from Beijing, China.’ I answered straight back, no blink. Twenty years later, same question: ‘where are you from?’ I inescapable take a pause, then, either to answer: ‘from home, St Ives.’ Or to clarify the question before answering it: ‘do you mean where I was originally from?’ If I intent to stay where I am, which, unmistakably, I feel I am collapsing and dissolving. Same question asked in recent years: ‘where are you from?’ I cannot answer: ‘I’m from Beijing, China.’, because it is not the truth anymore. Although, if I visit China, Chinese people ask me if I am Australian, my short answer would be: ‘still Chinese.’ I have to deny that I am 100% Australian because I do not consider I fit in that category even I am Australian by law. The way I have been blended changed me neither an Australian nor a Chinese. I am a mere in-between-er. How do I avoid the conflicts and contradictions of being a Chine...
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...tity with a palm size narrative picture. No human being is no indifferent to the misplacement of belonging, inside or outside, or in-between. ‘Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.’
Emerson said: ‘What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.’ Mankinds investigate all the possibilities to solve the biggest problem, namely life and death. The argument stays on whether east or west has the key to the unknown. Western scientists may breakthrough substance to expand life, eastern living philosophy unfold metaphysic and consciousness to expand life. Meeting west and east, yin-yang combined contrasting functions under the law of nature will evoke the globalisation.
At this note, the notion of my paper, although ‘I’ is first person, ‘I’ is not personal. Every viewer is framed in this “I”.
He points out that “While most immigrants have double identities to deal with, I have three. Am I Chinese, Thai, or American?” (Foner 339). His grandparents only had to deal with two—Chinese and Thai—but Chaukamnoetkanok is torn between three, making his experiences all the more difficult. He argues that no matter what identity he chooses, he will always be labeled as an “outsider”. His grandparents, on the other hand, were not concerned with being labeled as “different” and simply ignored those who had a prejudice against them. Chaukamnoetkanok understands that he must also possess this mindset in order better his experiences, but cannot change his way of thinking that easily, despite knowing he should. Overall, Chaukamnoetkanok determines that the main differences
She clearly and logically illustrates her point of view. She writes, “cultural differences are assumed and expected. But when the cultures of individuals are under scrutiny, it becomes clear that cultural borders do not hold their dividing power.” (98) Combined with her ability to logically expound on her view of cultural borders, she uses several anecdotes to further her point. She identifies four individuals who exemplify multiculturalism. Each of these examples share a Korean heritage but have adopted many other cultural markers from additional sources including non-Korean parents, U.S. society, immigration, and through adoption. Chang poses the question, “Would it be possible for one to become culturally more Korean in the morning, German for lunch, ‘American’ in the afternoon, and back to Korean in the evening? In her conclusion and in answer to that question she states, “Once different standards are embraced by individuals, the differences are incorporated into their individual cultures…the cultural differences are reframed into multiculturalism.”
Claudia Rankine uses the second person point of view in Citizen: An American Lyric, and because of this choice it creates some moments that lead the reader to think critically about what is going on. One example of this can be found on page 66 when Rankine writes, “What else to liken yourself to an animal, the ruminant kind?” (Rankine) This quote in the context of the lyric puts the reader into a position where they feel how much words and actions that they think nothing of, can make people of color feel both segregated and alone. Incorporating this point of view into a rhetorical question also forces the reader to think about the problems at hand as if it is directly happening to them. However, Rankine not only uses the word “you” to make her lyric second person, but quite possibly the most moving and memorable moment of the book includes other pronouns of the second person point of view. In a quote that reads, “I they he she we you turn only to discover the encounter to be alien to this place.” (Rankine) Rankine shows that through the use of many different pronouns she is capable of including everyone in the story, thus pulling them in and giving them a sense of involvement is what is happening. This use of “you” and other pronouns is what makes Claudia Rankine’s writing style nearly unmatched in drawing readers in and actually making them care about real world problems. However, point of view is not the only literary tool that Rankine has on showcase is Citizen: An American
In this article, Eric Liu presents his life as a native immigrant to an Asian American individual. He shares his experience through his reflection of ideas and emotions. Along with his story, it relates to the ideas of people’s journey from adolescence to adulthood. Eric’s inspirational experience is directed towards minority groups who try to adapt to the American culture and lifestyle. His parents emigrated from China to America, before he was born which he later became exposed to the freedom and diverse society. This results in beneficial effects for his individuality, career opportunities, and lifestyle. Although his parents have lived in a different culture than him, his life in America has made him assimilated into the American society
“The minute our train leaves the Hong Kong border and enters Shenzhen, China, I feel different. I can feel the skin on my forehead tingling, my blood rushing through a new course, my bones aching with a familiar old pain. And I think, my mother was right. I am becoming Chinese. (179). In the story A Pair of Tickets by Amy Tan, the protagonist character, Jing-mei, finds herself in several difficult situations due to how her social and cultural upbringing has shaped her. She finds herself pulled between her Chinese DNA and her American background. While she was raised being told that she was Chinese and “it’s in her blood”, she does not identify as such, because she grew up in America and only sees herself as an American. After her mother’s passing,
...pecially for second generation Torontonians, but detangling themselves from the family past and unhomeliness allows for the city to be seen as a much brighter place that enables them to come out and discover themselves further. In conclusion, in order to find “What We All Long For”, it is within ourselves to discover and reflect influences in our lives that weighs us down, to then either deal or cope with the situation to finally live a life free of anxiety, loss and pain.
When asked to define ones cultural identity people usually take the path that leads to their country of origin. They describe their beliefs and tradition which mirrors the values of people within that geographic location. But what about the people who are torn between two cultures? How would they define their cultural identity? This is the problem faced by Henry Park, the protagonist of the book Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee. Originally from Korea, he immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was little. However, his struggle of trying to find his acceptance into the American culture still continues. The book outlines his endless uncertainty of trying to define his cultural identity and his feelings as an outsider to the American Culture. Not being able to commit to either of the cultures leaves Henry confused regarding his true Cultural identity which Chang very artfully presents as a fuzzy line between the American and Korean Culture.
She self-identifies as Chinese-American because she “feels Chinese inside” even though she considers herself to be very assimilated into the American culture. This coincides with one of the four types of ethnic self-labels for second generation immigrants that Portes and Rumbaut analyze: national origin, hyphenated, plain American and pan-ethnic. These identifies arise from reactions to specific external events, internalization of racialized categories or life experiences (Feliciano Lec. 1/25/2016). The reason she still identifies as Chinese is because she was raised to think that way; she grew up in a Chinese dominated community both at home and in school. She also believes that because she is not of a mixed ethnicity, it is easy for her to self-identify as Chinese-American. When asked what makes her American, she responded that it is because she lives in America and she follows many American social norms. She does not believe that citizenship has anything to do with being American, it is just a form that acknowledges that you can receive certain benefits that non-citizens do not have the privilege
Growing up people would ask me where I was from, I would answer Queens. There was never a doubt in my mind that this is where I am from since this is where I was born. People would often tell me that I’m not from Queens since my parents are immigrants. I’ve always felt that I’ve had to fight to say where I’m from. These constant battles came from family members, friends, and strangers. It always had questioning my language and personal identity. My family members would say I’m Mexican but I don’t share the culture, language, nor experiences. Strangers from America would say I couldn’t be American since my parents are from another country but I do share the culture, language, and experiences. The craziest part is that my parents did everything they could so there children could
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.
...g “you” like second person. That leaves third person. I know it’s not third person omniscient, because the narrator doesn’t know, or can’t reveal the thoughts of more than one character.
Susan Wolf, born in 1952, is widely considered one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th and 21st century. One of Wolf’s most renowned works is The meanings of Lives, which drew a lot of attention in the philosophical world for a number of questions that arose from it. Arguably her most widely debated and questioned assertion in The meanings of Lives is “If you care about yourself you’re living as if you’re the center of the universe, which is false.” This however I don’t not believe to be true. Every human being, no matter how successful or unsuccessful, has the right to care for them sleeves and not believe they are the center of the universe while doing so.
There is a saying that says “You have three selves. The self you show the world (me or Nygeria), the self your friends and family see (myself or Nygee), and the self that no one but yourself sees (I or Nusa).” This paper is gonna explain all of those sides of myself plus the alter ego (her or Nuna).
... alone, ‘the other figures in it/merely projections.’ And you consider the richness of the imagination of this ‘someone,’ their isolation and alienation and possible nervous breakdown and this sets you thinking about the conditions that have brought about this situation.
Who am I? Wrestling with identity— our history, our culture, our language— is central to being human, and there’s no better way to come to grips with questions of identity than through the crossing of borders. The transcendence of borders reveals the fluid nature of identity, it challenges absurd notions of rigid nationalities, and highlights our common humanity. It is no coincidence, then, that my experience as an immigrant has shaped my academic journey and pushed me to pursue graduate studies.