Different Cultural Identities Dilemma Essay

The memoir Farewell to Manzanar, written by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, tells of her experience at Manzanar captivity camp after the Pacific War broke out. During the internment of Japanese-Americans, their animated standards fell drastically muchover, they faced Japanese and American values and personal identicalness conflicts. It was tight for these Japanese Americans to maintain two assorted cultural identities for some(prenominal) reason outs. In the first place, they suffered from racial divergence. In the 1940s, mainstream society and the government discriminated against Japanese Americans who were viewed as electromotive forcely dangerous stack who might 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 cultural identities. They were not willing to demote up Japanese identities after arriving in America. Chinese immigrants would like to demoralise together and variety show ed Chinatown for the same reason. In the article, Two worlds, one family, Jen Maldonado was compel on pressure by her Taiwanese friends who insisted on Chinese culture, when she valued to develop a cross-cultural relationship with an American.It is hard to successfully residual two different cultural identities because of racial discrimination and the esteem to peoples former culture as will be shown development evidence from Farewell to Manzanar, Two worlds, one family and my personal observations. In the 1940s, Japanese-Americans suffered from racial discrimination thus, they had a hard time getting into mainstream society and equilibrise their cultural identities. The government never showed full trust towards these immigrants who were viewed as threats to American national security. In company to supervise Japanese-Americans and prevent any potential danger, the government relocated Japanese Americans to internment camps, which exacerbated cultural conflicts and undermine d basic valet rights. The racist decision that the government made led Japanese Americans to find that they were incompatible with American culture. Because of the racial discrimination the government initialized, some Japanese immigrants thought they were insulted, and so they struggled to accept their American identities. Some 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, further Radine was admitted to join them. Houston said that, Watching, I am simply emptied, and in the pipe dream I wan t to cry out, because she is something I can never be(172). Houston never stopped attempting to retain American identity however, prejudice of her oriental characteristics obstructed her effort. She looked forward to fulfilling her American identity, only she was too helpless and weak to challenge enormous racial discrimination, Other than prejudice against Japanese-Americans, another reason that caused people from different cultures to struggle to balance two cultural identities was adhesiveness to their own culture. After arriving at the continent and staying there for years, many Japanese immigrants still considered that they were more Japanese than American. They were not willing to give up their own culture, and so they confronted cultural conflicts.A minority of people in the camps labeled members of the Japanese American Citizens League inu for having helped the army arrange a peaceful and orderly evacuation(67). Inu meant collaborator or informer in Japanese. The hatred towards these pro-American Japanese immigrants and disrespectful insult words revealed their sinewy belief in Japan and ill will towards America. To peoples surprise, the agents father who stood up to defend the point 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 open of integrating into American culture and equilibrate two identities. Chinatown exemplified that Chinese immigrants insisted on their own culture.Chinese immigrants were viewed as a group of conservative and unpatriotic 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 cultur al identities Their bail bond promoted the formation of Chinatown, a Chinese world in alien countries. In the article, Two worlds, one family, Jens Taiwanese friends started giving her grief for dating an American. They were strict about Chinese culture and rejected the cross-cultural marriage. Jen was overly 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 turn up that the cross-cultural marriage played an important role 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 ever struggled to have cross-cultural communications proceed utilely and successfully collect to their insistence on Chinese identity. In the article, Two worlds, one family, Jen was hoped that she could battle Chinese persons by her friends. However, their insistence seemed to be stubborn 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.