A Critical Analysis Of 'The New Americans' By Ruben Martinez
In The New Americans by Ruben Martinez, the author provides insight of the life experience of several families as they emigrate from their homeland and migrate to America in hope to finding a better life. The following text will briefly examine each family and their experience, but critically analyze the experience through defining and relating sociological concepts and theories. By the end the writer will explain how in reading this book has helped in understanding cultural pluralism in American Society.
The first chapter involves a family emigrating from Palestine to Chicago. The chapter explains the difficulty the family experiences before and after emigrating. Leading up to their departure, Naima Saddeh, and fiancé of Hatem Abudayyeh plan to marry in Chicago, spend much of their time with her family reflecting her life in El Jib, Palestine and what the future of Chicago holds. Finally once the couple and her …show more content…
mother arrive in Chicago and begin a new life, but while experiencing their new life, they experience the American culture.
This family helped me understand what it means to be American living in a culturally pluralistic society because of culture shock and marginality faced by the arrival of this family.
Cultural pluralism is defined as a series of distinct but coexisting groups each preserving their tradition and culture but each loyal to a broader national unity. This was made apparent several times. One example was when Hatem went to kiss Naima goodbye, but she refused due to tradition of Ramada. This shows that Naima and any myself are part of America but preserve our own traditions. Naima’s culture is her Palestinian products, belief systems, values, morals, skills, literature and language. These were different from those of U.S. especially language and tradition. These two concepts notably created culture shock, the experiencing of disorientation and confusion one feels when confronted with a different culture. A prime example was shown when Naima searched for employment and was over looked due to a language barrier. Another was learning how to drive a car in
America.
Naima may experience ethnocentrism, which is the attitude that one group is superior to an inferior group (Naima). This may be due to culture shock and not being able to do anything, she may feel inferior. Naima stated “In Palestine, I could do everything. Suddenly find myself; I can’t do even a little bit.”
By far, the concept of marginality is what Naima is experiencing. Defined as living with two separate cultures, you feel attach to one, but living in another. Naima still holds on to her old culture, while living the new culture in America. This is shown as she experiences the cold weather, driving, and having to learn a new language. Yet she practices old culture religion, and traditions such as practicing faith in Ramada.
One model of society that applies to this family is the Melting Pot theory. It is the idea formed by immigrant cultures, religions, and ethnic groups will produce new social and cultural forms. The author states Naima and her husband “experience” the melting pot. They have come to America to live the dream life as so many immigrants do. In that they bring their culture to America and share culture and ideas just as any other immigrant culture has done. In the end, everyone blends together.
In this chapter Naima and her husband were part of a minority group. Minority group is defined as a group of individuals whose physical appearance and cultural practice are unlike those of the dominant group. This family applies to minority group theory because they did not volunteer for minority status, have physical characteristics that distinct them from the dominant group. They are one of many Palestinian Americans, are aware of their social status and experience unequal treatment from the dominant group, such as employment.
In chapter 2 of The New Americans two Nigerian families migrate to Chicago. They are a highly educated family who has great expectations and foresees a perfect life once living in America. However, as do most immigrants into America they arrive and experience culture shock. They find themselves underemployed, working at minimal wage jobs at a hotel. They left their Nigerian culture of political violence, living in fear of government and oil controlled economy, only to come to America and not have gained a whole lot. While living in America they experience ethnocentrism, considering no one will employ them, not based on their education level, but because their immigrants and are inferior.
Over time the Nigerian families will experience socialization. This is defined as the lifelong process of learning self image as reflected in the sub cultural groups. They will see the status of other cultural groups and learn they are the same and more than likely will never achieve what they have hoped for. Marginality was greatly experienced by both families, as they tried to adapt to America but were still clinging to Nigerian culture. This was shown when they learn not to let strangers in their house, as they did back in Nigeria. My knowledge of these concepts has helped me understand this family experience because they explain why there is such disappointment in their expectation for those immigrants.
This chapter describes the concept of cultural pluralism when the twin daughters at school are being taught dining etiquette and how to speak nothing but English. This showed the girls are adapting to American distinctive traits, but preserving their own culture during times when it’s OK. It also shows the girls are assimilating or adapting to America culture.
According to the minority group theory, characteristics of physical and cultural characteristics differences and non-voluntary are shown by the two families. Other applicable characteristics were their awareness of their subordinate status and experiencing unequal treatment, as shown by their employer.
In the next chapter, “Dominican Republic to Great Falls,” two major league baseball prospects encounter the road it takes to make it to the big leagues. Along the way, they experience that sometimes the hard part is not baseball, but adapting to the new culture of the land where you play it. The two players Dominican culture is that of most, which poverty, little education, and little opportunity. Once arriving to the states they see better economic life, but are quick to realize the difference in language, etiquette, religion and the way white American view black immigrants. Although some what prepared beforehand, everything is new and is a culture shock to the players. However, their dream could be easily shattered by one mistake or complainant whether true or not, as shown by another player.
Once living in Great Falls, Montana, both players experience ethnocentrism, in that the white people culture is superior as is the baseball teams, and that the players will follow all rules and manners of it. They have control and the players play by their rules if you want to make it.
Before arriving to America they experience socialization and are taught that it is not ok to kiss a female upon first meeting as it may be acceptable in the Dominican Republic. As for any immigrant, especially to the U.S., they experience marginality, by living two separate cultures. As said earlier, they assimilated slightly with American culture by speaking the language, participating in church choir, but also preserve old culture by showing their “house parent” their Caribbean cooking style.
The social model of cultural pluralism would apply to these two players because once making it into the states, they shared the new and old world culture characteristics. Although told not to display their language in public places, and had to “act” American, they were “received with great enthusiasm in Great Falls,” showing a mutual respect.
According to the minority group theory, the two players would apply to this theory. They are two of many Dominican immigrants. In addition for MLB players they represent part of the largest minority in the league. Other characteristics that apply is their physical and cultural differences such as language and etiquette. These two players were also aware of their subordinate status at first arrival and did experience unequal treatment.
In chapter 4 of The New Americans the Flores family’s experience of what it took to migrate from Mexico to Mecca California thirteen years ago, and how life for the initial dream of better life has turned out since migrating to the states. While Pedro Flores spent many years in the states jumping from laboring job to another, his family remained in Cueramaro, Guanajuato where they experience the typical Mexican culture and lifestyle of poverty and struggle of raising a family. After a long struggle to get Visa passports and sponsorship for his family to migrate into the states, the Flores family was able to come over and hope for a better life in Mecca. However, as with most immigrant families, a culture shock was experienced, and life was not much different than in Mexico. They still had the same weather, employment, and opportunity for success was minute. As most of the population is Mexican in Mecca, most are undereducated, leading to poor or no employment which equals poverty. However, in the Mecca culture many immigrants turn to violence and gangs in hope to find identity and meaning, in hope to become something. Since the Mecca population is mostly Mexican it didn’t seem as there was a whole lot of ethnocentrism, because everyone was in the same situation. However they still work for the white American whether it is in the fields, nursery, or any type of laboring job, which means the American feels that Mexican immigrants are no better than just laborers. In the end of the chapter, it discussed that Mexicans are treated differently than most other immigrants because their distinct and sometimes confused with Arabs which leads to discrimination and unfair treatment. Through the thirteen years of living in the states the Flores family has experienced the lifelong learning process of socialization. In that, they have realized that life will not get any better from lack of language and education and the only one’s who have a chance of making it life is the children because their young enough to be able to learn English and become educated. The family didn’t experience marginality because they basically lived the same lifestyle in Mecca as they did in Mexico. Also, because so many other Mexicans were in Mecca they were able to hold onto their culture and share with others around them. The major difference which they experienced marginality was the language barrier and that was what really held them back from making a better life in America. For this family the social concept of cultural nationalism applied being that they lived in the Mecca community with so many other Mexicans. The concept is defined as an ethnic minority group that is distinct and separate from another minority group. This was truly the case for the Flores family. The Flores family applies the Minority Group theory simply because all characteristics applied to them. They were separate from the dominant group, aware of their status, not voluntarily, experience unequal treatment from their dominant group employers, and marry within their own. In the last chapter of The New Americans, an India computer geek graduate has to make the decision of whether or not to leave his homeland of India and new wife for the corporate world in the United States. His culture decided his marriage arrangements based through a computer program which is normal for that country, unlike the traditional way of meeting in person in the states.
His arrival in the states brings some culture shock. He makes many times the money as he would have he stayed in India. His wife finally visits him and they together experience socialization by adapting the U.S. culture. All though Anjan seems better of than another immigrant family in the book, he still experienced ethnocentrism. It appears Anjan’s high level of education before entering the states helped to assimilate better than other immigrants and eliminates any marginality he may have experienced.
His ability to speak English so well helped him fit in and be part of the melting pot theory, as he is a foreigner working in America corporate world, and living the life of any other dominant American. Anjan was a minority in deed, and but in my opinion still is applicable to the minority group theory but in a different way. Anjan was wanted and seek by American companies such as Microsoft. He came over knowing he had job, unlike many immigrants who come hoping to find employment and making it. From reading the New American’s book, it is obvious that any immigrant into the United States is going to face the difficulties and culture shock that comes with it. It is seems that the poorer and less educated you are, the chances of ever making anything out of yourself in this country is next to zero. This was shown by the Flores family and Anjan from India. Anjan, out of all the immigrants was most successful based on his prior education and status he had come from.
The concept of social construction of reality is defined as an entity or behavior from a specific culture which in turns to be accepted and agreed upon the culture to participate in. An example of this is the immigrants from Mexico or Africa. They see that once they arrive in America that everyone like them is poor and struggling, so they accept that and follow it. Three questions I have regarding human being and immigrants are 1) Will anything be done to control the influx of Latino immigrants into our country 2) Will the current dominate status of whites being classified as a minority group, 3) Has it become easier in the past years to migrate into the U.S.?
The first chapter involves a family emigrating from Palestine to Chicago. The chapter explains the difficulty the family experiences before and after emigrating. Leading up to their departure, Naima Saddeh, and fiancé of Hatem Abudayyeh plan to marry in Chicago, spend much of their time with her family reflecting her life in El Jib, Palestine and what the future of Chicago holds. Finally once the couple and her …show more content…
mother arrive in Chicago and begin a new life, but while experiencing their new life, they experience the American culture.
This family helped me understand what it means to be American living in a culturally pluralistic society because of culture shock and marginality faced by the arrival of this family.
Cultural pluralism is defined as a series of distinct but coexisting groups each preserving their tradition and culture but each loyal to a broader national unity. This was made apparent several times. One example was when Hatem went to kiss Naima goodbye, but she refused due to tradition of Ramada. This shows that Naima and any myself are part of America but preserve our own traditions. Naima’s culture is her Palestinian products, belief systems, values, morals, skills, literature and language. These were different from those of U.S. especially language and tradition. These two concepts notably created culture shock, the experiencing of disorientation and confusion one feels when confronted with a different culture. A prime example was shown when Naima searched for employment and was over looked due to a language barrier. Another was learning how to drive a car in
America.
Naima may experience ethnocentrism, which is the attitude that one group is superior to an inferior group (Naima). This may be due to culture shock and not being able to do anything, she may feel inferior. Naima stated “In Palestine, I could do everything. Suddenly find myself; I can’t do even a little bit.”
By far, the concept of marginality is what Naima is experiencing. Defined as living with two separate cultures, you feel attach to one, but living in another. Naima still holds on to her old culture, while living the new culture in America. This is shown as she experiences the cold weather, driving, and having to learn a new language. Yet she practices old culture religion, and traditions such as practicing faith in Ramada.
One model of society that applies to this family is the Melting Pot theory. It is the idea formed by immigrant cultures, religions, and ethnic groups will produce new social and cultural forms. The author states Naima and her husband “experience” the melting pot. They have come to America to live the dream life as so many immigrants do. In that they bring their culture to America and share culture and ideas just as any other immigrant culture has done. In the end, everyone blends together.
In this chapter Naima and her husband were part of a minority group. Minority group is defined as a group of individuals whose physical appearance and cultural practice are unlike those of the dominant group. This family applies to minority group theory because they did not volunteer for minority status, have physical characteristics that distinct them from the dominant group. They are one of many Palestinian Americans, are aware of their social status and experience unequal treatment from the dominant group, such as employment.
In chapter 2 of The New Americans two Nigerian families migrate to Chicago. They are a highly educated family who has great expectations and foresees a perfect life once living in America. However, as do most immigrants into America they arrive and experience culture shock. They find themselves underemployed, working at minimal wage jobs at a hotel. They left their Nigerian culture of political violence, living in fear of government and oil controlled economy, only to come to America and not have gained a whole lot. While living in America they experience ethnocentrism, considering no one will employ them, not based on their education level, but because their immigrants and are inferior.
Over time the Nigerian families will experience socialization. This is defined as the lifelong process of learning self image as reflected in the sub cultural groups. They will see the status of other cultural groups and learn they are the same and more than likely will never achieve what they have hoped for. Marginality was greatly experienced by both families, as they tried to adapt to America but were still clinging to Nigerian culture. This was shown when they learn not to let strangers in their house, as they did back in Nigeria. My knowledge of these concepts has helped me understand this family experience because they explain why there is such disappointment in their expectation for those immigrants.
This chapter describes the concept of cultural pluralism when the twin daughters at school are being taught dining etiquette and how to speak nothing but English. This showed the girls are adapting to American distinctive traits, but preserving their own culture during times when it’s OK. It also shows the girls are assimilating or adapting to America culture.
According to the minority group theory, characteristics of physical and cultural characteristics differences and non-voluntary are shown by the two families. Other applicable characteristics were their awareness of their subordinate status and experiencing unequal treatment, as shown by their employer.
In the next chapter, “Dominican Republic to Great Falls,” two major league baseball prospects encounter the road it takes to make it to the big leagues. Along the way, they experience that sometimes the hard part is not baseball, but adapting to the new culture of the land where you play it. The two players Dominican culture is that of most, which poverty, little education, and little opportunity. Once arriving to the states they see better economic life, but are quick to realize the difference in language, etiquette, religion and the way white American view black immigrants. Although some what prepared beforehand, everything is new and is a culture shock to the players. However, their dream could be easily shattered by one mistake or complainant whether true or not, as shown by another player.
Once living in Great Falls, Montana, both players experience ethnocentrism, in that the white people culture is superior as is the baseball teams, and that the players will follow all rules and manners of it. They have control and the players play by their rules if you want to make it.
Before arriving to America they experience socialization and are taught that it is not ok to kiss a female upon first meeting as it may be acceptable in the Dominican Republic. As for any immigrant, especially to the U.S., they experience marginality, by living two separate cultures. As said earlier, they assimilated slightly with American culture by speaking the language, participating in church choir, but also preserve old culture by showing their “house parent” their Caribbean cooking style.
The social model of cultural pluralism would apply to these two players because once making it into the states, they shared the new and old world culture characteristics. Although told not to display their language in public places, and had to “act” American, they were “received with great enthusiasm in Great Falls,” showing a mutual respect.
According to the minority group theory, the two players would apply to this theory. They are two of many Dominican immigrants. In addition for MLB players they represent part of the largest minority in the league. Other characteristics that apply is their physical and cultural differences such as language and etiquette. These two players were also aware of their subordinate status at first arrival and did experience unequal treatment.
In chapter 4 of The New Americans the Flores family’s experience of what it took to migrate from Mexico to Mecca California thirteen years ago, and how life for the initial dream of better life has turned out since migrating to the states. While Pedro Flores spent many years in the states jumping from laboring job to another, his family remained in Cueramaro, Guanajuato where they experience the typical Mexican culture and lifestyle of poverty and struggle of raising a family. After a long struggle to get Visa passports and sponsorship for his family to migrate into the states, the Flores family was able to come over and hope for a better life in Mecca. However, as with most immigrant families, a culture shock was experienced, and life was not much different than in Mexico. They still had the same weather, employment, and opportunity for success was minute. As most of the population is Mexican in Mecca, most are undereducated, leading to poor or no employment which equals poverty. However, in the Mecca culture many immigrants turn to violence and gangs in hope to find identity and meaning, in hope to become something. Since the Mecca population is mostly Mexican it didn’t seem as there was a whole lot of ethnocentrism, because everyone was in the same situation. However they still work for the white American whether it is in the fields, nursery, or any type of laboring job, which means the American feels that Mexican immigrants are no better than just laborers. In the end of the chapter, it discussed that Mexicans are treated differently than most other immigrants because their distinct and sometimes confused with Arabs which leads to discrimination and unfair treatment. Through the thirteen years of living in the states the Flores family has experienced the lifelong learning process of socialization. In that, they have realized that life will not get any better from lack of language and education and the only one’s who have a chance of making it life is the children because their young enough to be able to learn English and become educated. The family didn’t experience marginality because they basically lived the same lifestyle in Mecca as they did in Mexico. Also, because so many other Mexicans were in Mecca they were able to hold onto their culture and share with others around them. The major difference which they experienced marginality was the language barrier and that was what really held them back from making a better life in America. For this family the social concept of cultural nationalism applied being that they lived in the Mecca community with so many other Mexicans. The concept is defined as an ethnic minority group that is distinct and separate from another minority group. This was truly the case for the Flores family. The Flores family applies the Minority Group theory simply because all characteristics applied to them. They were separate from the dominant group, aware of their status, not voluntarily, experience unequal treatment from their dominant group employers, and marry within their own. In the last chapter of The New Americans, an India computer geek graduate has to make the decision of whether or not to leave his homeland of India and new wife for the corporate world in the United States. His culture decided his marriage arrangements based through a computer program which is normal for that country, unlike the traditional way of meeting in person in the states.
His arrival in the states brings some culture shock. He makes many times the money as he would have he stayed in India. His wife finally visits him and they together experience socialization by adapting the U.S. culture. All though Anjan seems better of than another immigrant family in the book, he still experienced ethnocentrism. It appears Anjan’s high level of education before entering the states helped to assimilate better than other immigrants and eliminates any marginality he may have experienced.
His ability to speak English so well helped him fit in and be part of the melting pot theory, as he is a foreigner working in America corporate world, and living the life of any other dominant American. Anjan was a minority in deed, and but in my opinion still is applicable to the minority group theory but in a different way. Anjan was wanted and seek by American companies such as Microsoft. He came over knowing he had job, unlike many immigrants who come hoping to find employment and making it. From reading the New American’s book, it is obvious that any immigrant into the United States is going to face the difficulties and culture shock that comes with it. It is seems that the poorer and less educated you are, the chances of ever making anything out of yourself in this country is next to zero. This was shown by the Flores family and Anjan from India. Anjan, out of all the immigrants was most successful based on his prior education and status he had come from.
The concept of social construction of reality is defined as an entity or behavior from a specific culture which in turns to be accepted and agreed upon the culture to participate in. An example of this is the immigrants from Mexico or Africa. They see that once they arrive in America that everyone like them is poor and struggling, so they accept that and follow it. Three questions I have regarding human being and immigrants are 1) Will anything be done to control the influx of Latino immigrants into our country 2) Will the current dominate status of whites being classified as a minority group, 3) Has it become easier in the past years to migrate into the U.S.?