Donald Duk Multiculturalism and Assimilation

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Multiculturalism and assimilation have been reoccurring controversies in America for centuries. Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures and assimilation is a process in which members of an ethnic minority take the cultural characteristics of another. Many immigrants struggle with attempting to adjust to their new life by integrating and transforming into this new culture they have chosen to live amongst and rejecting their own culture because they believe it is necessary in order be accepted and it allows cooperation between the opposing ethnicities due to the belief that one culture will always be superior causing assimilation. Others take the right path in trying incorporate both their personal native culture to preserve their own individuality and also the new culture they would like to take part in, to become multicultural persons. In the novel Donald Duk, author Frank Chin exemplifies the positive effects of becoming a multicultural person through the main character Donald Duk and other characters throughout the book. Throughout the novel Donald proves to be one who represents assimilation. He completly shuts down any idea of embracing his heritage because he is caught up with the idea that being Chinese is inferior to being American. From the beginning, Donald is clearly insecure about himself and the way people look at him. "He does not like people laughing at him name. He does not want the gangsters laughing at his name to beat him up. He mostly does not want to look like a sissy in front of them..." (Chin 5). Donald wants to be accepted in a manner where he blends in without being recognized as different. He has trouble finding the balance between accepting the American lifestyle and incorporating his own Chinese culture. "If all these Chinese were more American, I wouldn't have all my problems" (42).

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