Different Cultural Identities Dilemma Essay

The memoir Farewell to Manzanar, written by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, tells of her catch at Manzanar internment camp after the Pacific War stony-broke out. During the internment of Japanese-Ameri flush toilets, their living standards fell drastically moreover, they faced Japanese and American values and indistinguishability conflicts. It was stark for these Japanese Americans to maintain devil divergent ethnic identities for several reasons. In the first place, they suffered from racial distinction. In the 1940s, mainstream alliance and the government discriminated against Japanese Americans who were viewed as potentially dangerous stack who mogul betray the US. Thus, Japanese Americans found it was hard to be accepted by others in America. In addition, they largely insisted on their own heathen identities. They were not provideing to give up Japanese identities after arriving in America. Chinese immigrants would like to get together and formed Chinatown for the same r eason. In the article, twain worlds, one family, Jen Maldonado was imposed on pressure by her Taiwanese friends who insisted on Chinese culture, when she wanted to develop a cross-ethnical relationship with an American.It is hard to successfully balance devil different cultural identities because of racial discrimination and the adherence to communitys former culture as will be shown using evidence from Farewell to Manzanar, two worlds, one family and my in-person observations. In the 1940s, Japanese-Americans suffered from racial discrimination thus, they had a hard time acquire into mainstream society and balancing their cultural identities. The government never showed full consider towards these immigrants who were viewed as threats to American national security. In order to supervise Japanese-Americans and sustain any potential danger, the government relocated Japanese Americans to internment camps, which exacerbated cultural conflicts and undermined basic human rights. The racist decision that the government made conduct Japanese Americans to feel that they were incompatible with American culture. Because of the racial discrimination the government initialized, many Japanese immigrants thought they were affronted, and so they struggled to accept their American identities. well-nigh of them even wanted to get rid of American identities and went back to Japan. As a result, racial discrimination threatened their American identities.Houston and her friend Radine shared many qualities in common and became the best friends. Although they were socially equal, they were treated in completely different ways because of racism. Houston was not culturally accepted by mainstream society as Radine was. Boys were more likely to ask Radine to the dances, even though they flirted with Houston. Houston was barred from sororities, but Radine was admitted to join them. Houston said that, Watching, I am scarcely emptied, and in the dream I want to cry out, becaus e she is something I can never be(172). Houston never stopped attempting to retain American identity however, injustice of her oriental characteristics obstructed her effort. She looked forward to fulfilling her American identity, but she was also helpless and powerless to challenge enormous racial discrimination, Other than prejudice against Japanese-Americans, another reason that caused tidy sum from different cultures to struggle to balance two cultural identities was adherence to their own culture. After arriving at the continent and staying at that place for years, many Japanese immigrants still considered that they were more Japanese than American. They were not ordain to give up their own culture, and so they confronted cultural conflicts.A nonage of people in the camps labeled members of the Japanese American Citizens League inu for having helped the multitude arrange a peaceful and orderly evacuation(67). Inu meant collaborator or informer in Japanese. The hatred tow ards these pro-American Japanese immigrants and disrespectful insult words revealed their strong belief in Japan and hostility towards America. To peoples surprise, the authors father who stood up to defend the take down of view that immigrants should be loyal to American government was assaulted and condemned by his peers. Although these pro-Japan immigrants had been in America for many years, they still insisted that they were more Japanese. It was the thought that some Japanese Americans were not capable of integrating into American culture and balancing two identities. Chinatown exemplified that Chinese immigrants insisted on their own culture.Chinese immigrants were viewed as a throng of conservative and un-American people after they first came to America. They showed keen interests in preserving Chinese culture, but they would not adapt themselves to American society. Therefore, their refusal to give up Chinese identity led to their isolation and failure to balance two cultu ral identities Their adherence promoted the formation of Chinatown, a Chinese world in alien countries. In the article, Two worlds, one family, Jens Taiwanese friends started great(p) her grief for go out an American. They were strict about Chinese culture and spurned the cross-cultural marriage. Jen was also warned that she needed to stick with someone from her own culture. By this, her friends hoped that Jen could retain her Chinese identity by narrowing down her dating range. However, many cases had proven that the cross-cultural marriage played an important case in balancing different cultural identities.When people with different cultural backgrounds decide to form cross-cultural families, they build a bridge of cultural communication. Thus, her friends thoughts undermined cultural exchange. To conclude, it is hard to successfully balance two different cultural identities. Racial discrimination stopped Japanese Americans from balancing their cultural identities. In the wart ime, the mainstream society held hostility towards these immigrants, and so they were isolated by the majority.Moreover, some peoples adherence to their former culture became the obstacle of integrating into American society. Chinese always struggled to have cross-cultural communications proceed efficaciously and successfully due to their insistence on Chinese identity. In the article, Two worlds, one family, Jen was hoped that she could date Chinese persons by her friends. However, their insistence seemed to be bullet-headed because it blocked effective communication between people from different cultural backgrounds. In order to balance two different cultural identities, people should be more lenient with newcomers and more open to new culture.