Introduction
It is important to note that the struggle against cultural stereotypes and prejudice is a universal one, and many people are judged by the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the area in which they live or are born. The given analysis will focus on a personal account of immigration, cultural assimilation, and the distressing experiences that can arise from societal prejudices and stereotypes. Thus, through the lens of my personal experiences, harm, and isolation brought about by such prejudices and through referencing literature, I emphasize the importance of embracing diversity and fighting against discrimination.
Racial Discrimination in Personal Experience
My personal journey is marked by episodes of racial discrimination, having experienced both subtle and overt acts of prejudice. Upon moving from Mexico to the United States at seventeen, I found myself living between two cultures, carrying the pride of my heritage yet respecting all others. One such incident occurred in high school when my teacher, out of curiosity or perhaps ignorance, inquired whether I identified as an American or Mexican, imposing an unnecessary dichotomy on my identity.
Thomas King’s “Borders”: An Indigenous Perspective on Identity and Belonging
Noticeably, it is common for some authors to explore the issues of identity, citizenship, tolerance, and acceptance of other races. Getting acquainted with some ways other people can face stereotyping, prejudices, or undesired multicultural experiences is important to better address such cases. In his 1993 short story called “Borders,” Thomas King addresses how an Indigenous person can be highly devoted to their culture and avoid any colonial signifiers, even when facing legal and policy problems. The story is also concerned with generational disparities, assimilation attempts, and other important matters.
Story Summary
The writing centers on a family that consists of an unnamed mother, her daughter Laetitia, and her younger son, who tells the story. The mother makes numerous attempts to protect her children from the influence of the conquering cultures, as she respects and appreciates her Blackfoot identity and does not want Canadian or American values to affect her family. For example, she repeats that everything can be found in their area, and nothing is better than their home (King, 1993).
However, these attempts fail when Laetitia, who is more accepting and wishes to assimilate, moves to the U.S. (King, 1993). Unlike their mother, her son and daughter do not reject other cultures and are eager to explore them (King, 1993). Interestingly, the mother’s decision to visit Laetitia surprises the boy, as well as her preparation for the trip: “I had to dress up, too, for my mother did not want us crossing the border looking like Americans” (King, 1993, p. 133). All these internal and external factors indicate the struggle of the mother to remain proud of her Blackfoot heritage and carry it through her and her children’s lives.
Story Analysis
Certain differences between the older and younger family members, as well as the mother’s strongly negative perception of Canada and America, which is built on historical violence and continuing colonizing negative experiences, serve as the basis for the story’s conflict. Upon their arrival at the border, the mother refuses to answer the officers’ questions directly. One may notice that the conversations they have are rather polite and understanding: “Now, I know that we got Blackfeet on the American side and the Canadians got Blackfeet on their side. Just so we can keep our records straight, what side do you come from?” (King, 1993, p. 135).
Another example is how the inspector expresses empathy but still insists on hearing about the mother’s and boy’s citizenship: “I can understand how you feel about having to tell us your citizenship, and here’s what I’ll do. You tell me, and I won’t put it down on the form” (King, 1993, p. 136). Although there is no direct discrimination or violence, the guidelines followed by the border officers are intolerant and irrespective of the Blackfoot culture.
Therefore, trying to cross the border to visit her daughter, the mother cannot overcome her beliefs and say that she is from Canada because this will mean that she attaches a colonial signifier to her Blackfoot identity. However, the guards repeatedly try to colonize her into a Canadian or American identity: “I’d be proud of being Blackfoot if I were Blackfoot. But you have to be American or Canadian” (King, 1993, p. 139). While the boy has a more neutral position and tells the guards that they are both Blackfoot and Canadian, his words are not credible, putting the family in a challenging and unpleasant situation that lasts several days. This story makes us think both about the power of internal values and cultural identity and the possibility or impossibility of accepting other cultures.
Gish Jen’s “In the American Society”: From Cultural Resistance to Assimilation
Further, Gish Jen’s 1986 short story “In the American Society” explores a similar topic, describing a Chinese American named Mr. Chang first escaping the impact of U.S. culture and norms and then trying to assimilate and accept them. In the first part of the story, “His Own Society,” Mr. Chang demonstrates his unacceptance of local rules and views. For example, he “had no use for nice clothes, and would wear only ten-year-old shirts, with grease-spotted pants, to show how little he cared what anyone thought” (Jen, 1986, p. 159).
To some extent, this external demonstration through clothes is similar to the mother from “Borders” dressing herself and her son as non-Americans. Mrs. Chang often says that her husband “thinks this is China,” “doesn’t believe in joining the American society,” and “wants to have his own society” (Jen, 1986, p. 159). The reason Mr. Chang’s daughters and wife notice his resistance is that they are more eager to assimilate.
A challenging situation happens when Mr. Chang’s working conditions and structure fail to succeed in America. As a male of Chinese descent, he believes in the patriarchy of the workplace and the need for employees sometimes to be servants of the employer (Jen, 1986). While he rewards his staff generously and is ready to break laws to hire his fellow immigrants, American employees do not believe in serving at work, and the immigrant workers escape (Jen, 1986). These situations indicate that avoiding the values and rules of a country one lives in is impossible, and assimilation is highly important as it allows one to feel accepted.
At the same time, the story also refers to an illusion of belonging, as some people are not eager to welcome immigrants. Some examples are when Mrs. Chang is denied country club membership or the family members are treated like service workers at a party (Jen, 1986). Therefore, no matter how the family tries to assimilate, other people may demonstrate their stereotyping, discriminating, and offensive thoughts or actions.
Conclusion
Referring to my personal experiences, they were not limited to social interactions but extended to public spaces, as illustrated by an episode at a supermarket where I was wrongfully accused of theft based solely on the color of my skin, an act that left me feeling violated and fearful for my family’s safety. Such an unpleasant experience can be compared to the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chang serving hors d’oeuvres (Jen, 1986). Facing such discrimination leaves an imprint on a person for many years.
In conclusion, “Borders” and “In the American Society” explore how difficult it may be for adults to assimilate and be accepted, primarily because they are less eager to do so than their children. King describes how one Native mother refuses the ongoing colonization of her people by asserting her Blackfoot identity. Simultaneously, Jen portrays a Chinese American male valuing his roots more than the U.S. traditions.
As an individual of Mexican descent, I understand that an identity crisis can be challenging. However, I am not Native and therefore do not know what it is like to be colonized daily in the land of my ancestry, and I am also not Chinese to know about the specific stereotyping they face. Therefore, it was quite interesting for me to read about a woman who is very firm on her decision not to identify herself with Canadians as a way of holding on to her people’s cultural identity. I also enjoyed reading about a male’s attempts to create his own society, referring to his ancestors’ unique cultural features. In essence, all the mentioned stereotypes can lead to feelings of isolation and marginalization and can make people feel excluded from society, which includes ending the pattern of erasing Native American cultures, as King points out, and stopping referring to Asians as servants, as indicated by Jen.
References
Jen, G. (1986). In the American society. Web.
King, T. (1993). Borders[PDF document]. Web.