As a first generation student myself I understand the cultural divide that forms from the values and ideas that are taught to us and the sometimes conflicting attitudes that are taught by our society. Due to this we become stuck in the middle, not understanding whether to uphold our own ethnic values or to follow the new world that we have come a part of. Maxine Kingston’s narrator faces this cultural divide with her family and the society she has become a part of. She is trapped in the middle trying to bind with the new but the way she tries to become a part of the new is contradictory of how I invite my ethnicity to merge with society. She tries to hide her ethnicity in order to become more “American” and demeans anything and anyone, that is in her control, to stop them from being their ethnic self since it makes them “weak and feeble.” Whereas, I promote my ethnicity to find an equilibrium where I can live both aspects of my life in one world.
The narrator conceals all connections that are present in her life that are representations of her culture. The first sign of an immigrant is their inability to speak clear and confident English. When and individual is unable to do such, as the narrator emphasizes, it not only makes the speaker ashamed and “filled with disgust” but it also leads to poor judgment on intelligence and a sense of stupidly from the listener. The narrator hides this as she overcomes her fear of speaking up as she quickly grows out of it. She is no longer wants to speak low as that is not what true natives do, so she must take the step and speak aloud even if it is broken and hindered English. Furthermore, the narrator “hates the younger sister” with the “china doll haircut” as she is super quiet but most importantly because she represents what the narrator wants to turn away from to fit in. The girl brings back all the qualities of an immigrant-one stuck in their homeland- forcing the narrator despise this seemingly harmless little girl. She abuses and bullies her trying to get her to talk going to all and any extent to make her speak and come out of the shell she is stuck in.
For the narrator, any reminisce of her immigrant nature causes her anger and disgust however, I feel the opposite when I am confronted with my culture. I work to enlighten others on the teachings and ideas my ethnicity tends to believe even though it may cause difficulties in understanding for the other. I sympathize with the narrator as all she is trying to do is fit in however, your culture is a part of who you are and all the decisions you make in your life will be based off of the new and the old culture. We cannot distance ourselves from that background because it is the binding principles that ties us with our underlying nature. Personally, I believe it is better that we try to join the two cultures as immigrants and ethnic persons rather than separate ourselves from the old in order to better fit in with the new.
I liked reading your perspective on the issue of identity because it reminds me of how I felt growing up. Although, I grew up having a similar mentality as the narrator in the story, hiding their cultural identity, I have now grown to share a similar viewpoint as you. I liked how you were able to contrast your experience with the narrators, and it helps show that first generational people do not all share the same mentality when it comes to their cultures. And I'm glad you share about your culture to others. Overall, it was a really good post.
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