Even though she views America in a positive way, she still keeps her Asian manners and finds it hard to accept the American way of parenting children. She is very critical of other cultures, such as her daughter’s husband, John, and his Irish family. She also critiques the way her daughter Natalie raises her child, Sophie. On her time spent with Sophie, she decides to implement her own ways of parenting. She spanks Sophie as she tries to discipline her, and by the end of the story when Natalie and John find out, they ask her to move out of the house and her contact with Sophie is forbidden.
Most importantly we are encouraged to stride away from our homes in the ever glorious attempt to better ourselves. For some reason we are taught to (Not take sand to the beach) in other words leave those loved ones behind because you will encounter more in the long run or the future. The baggage will only slow you down its because it is difficult to move faster in life with your goals and achievements when your not the only person you have to look out for. At the end of it all you will marry and have kids of your own make loved ones of your own. Richard says “ mothers are traditionally the guardians of the family against America “(346).
In Anzia Yezierska’s novel entitled Bread Givers, she confronts the integration of both traditional Polish roots and the American life her protagonist has come to know. This novel itself is without a doubt autobiographical of Yezierska’s own experiences. Sara Smolinsky, the protagonist, finds herself in a new country seeking the American Dream with a traditionally dominate, patriarchal, Jewish Rabi father. Sara and her sisters struggle to find their way in this land of opportunity as they continue to be reminded of their heritage. One such struggle is the difference of opinions of a daughter’s role.
The stories focus on the relationships between four, Chinese mothers who migrate to the United States and their Chinese-American daughters. The daughters find it to be a struggle to try to hold on to their traditional Chinese roots that their parents are trying to preserve, as they seek to fit into the over-bearing American culture. The stories explore issues of tradition, immigration, ethnicity, language, and identity. The Joy Luck Club displays the cultural divide that exists between Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans born and raised in the United States. Even though it is within the same culture, the film shows how Chinese immigrants are forced to “adjust” and give up much of their identity in order to thrive in America.
She mentions the example of Patrica Saldarriaga, a professor whose daughter had to celebrate her quinceanera even when she did not want to just because of her father’s status(62). People who cannot affod these lavish celebrations then go in debt which later causes problems. She asks herself “Why cannot they do both?’(62). Why can’t they celebrate their daughters quinceanera and also not go in debt. She feels the need for their culture to be revised to work better for them in the new realities they are facing right now.
In the story, Helga is constantly struggling to find herself as a woman of mixed race who can fit into the early 20th century society in which she lives. She desires to find a place where she is understood and welcomed as a woman of mixed race, however, through her journeys she finds that such a place does not exist. She is too nonconformist and broadminded for a time when race and gender “norms” follow a conventional perspective. This outlook is expressed when Helga meets Mrs. Hayes-Rore, her new employer, and they discuss Helga’s heritage. After Helga tells Mrs. Hayes-Rore she comes from “race intermingling and possibly adultery”, Mrs. Hayes-Rore advises Helga, “…I wouldn’t mention that my people are white, if I were you.
In her book, Something to Declare, Julia Alvarez explains her struggles between maintaining customs versus declaring what Alvarez felt it was the right path for her own life. Alvarez was born in Dominican Republic, but moved to New York City along with her family at the age of ten years old. Alvarez wanted to pursue her dream to become a writer in the United States, but struggled because Alvarez was concerned about potentially abandoning her roots. The most important realization for Alvarez was that she did not have to choose one path or the other; Alvarez allowed her customs to play an important role in her declarations for a more satisfying outcome. There is a standard definition for customs and declarations, but Alvarez portrays her version of the two in her novel.
The play was written in 1945, after WW2, but set in WW1- Priestley’s intention was to show how much society has evolved for the better after both wars, and that before any war occurred, there was hardly any justice or equality. People like Sheila were the ones who created this change in society and it is important that we do not go back to the backwardness of pre-1914 Britain. In Act 1, Sheila is portrayed as a naïve, superficial young woman, who represents the young generation of the upper class. Her childish side is shown through when she calls her parents “Mummy” and “Daddy”. She also has to justify herself in the way a child does when she tells Mr Birling, “I’m sorry Daddy… actually I was listening”, implying that she has the attention span of a little girl because she is treated like one by the people around her.
It has to be in the person to make the step, to have the belief and the faith that they should be a free people” (p.103). The reason this quote is so important is because it sums up much of Rosa’s struggle during the civil rights movement. The decade before the boycott Rosa was trying to find the faith and courage to stand up for the rights she knew she deserved. When the civil rights movement started to progress, she had already made the step, but still was discouraged by the unwillingness of others to do the same. Jeanne Theoharis did a thorough job highlighting Rosa’s lifelong dedication to fighting American inequality.
American History Since 1865 Patricia Russell HIS 204 July 2, 2012 Andrew Cramer Has anyone ever seen a help wanted ad for a housewife? Probably not, as the very term brings about negative images of cooking, cleaning, bearing children, and catering to the whim of a man. Women of the past were raised believing the only way to fulfillment was marriage, kids and a successful husband and often tied their own self-worth to the success of the marriage. While women have fought long and hard to gain equality and great strides have been made as with any right begrudgingly obtained we must remain ever vigilant lest we find ourselves relegated back to women’s work. The first step towards having a voice or say in the future was the ratification