The Repercussions Of Assimilation
Assimilation is when an Immigrant adjusts to the new culture and ways of life in the country they immigrated to. Immigrants typically assimilate into America’s culture for one reason: to fit in. But what are the repercussions of assimilation? Are there benefits of it as well? I believe that with assimilation, there are benefits, but the one who loses most from assimilation is the Immigrant who is the one assimilating.
There are some benefits to assimilation. For example, someone who wrote an article called “To Assimilate or to Acculturate?” says, “After returning to America, I entered grade school. At first, I felt like an outsider coming from an Indian home. Students used to stare in bewilderment when I brought handvo, a traditional Gujarati …show more content…
Even if a little kid goes to school and finally assimilates to American culture, therefore making new friends, that child also loses a part of himself. We all grow up with certain traditions and culture in our family and country. For example, every single Christmas Eve my entire family gets together, goes to the night church service, and then stays at my Grandma’s house together for hours. That is a tradition in my family, and I have grown up with it and known it my entire life so far. If I were to move somewhere and had to give that tradition up just because my friends didn’t celebrate Christmas or something like that, I would be crushed because that specific tradition, is my favorite one. Imagine having to give up every tradition of your family’s, just because nobody around you does it. That’s how Immigrants feel when they assimilate to their “new” culture. Therefore, I believe they lose the most out of anyone who is affected by assimilation. Also, even though Immigrants will assimilate to American culture, even that doesn’t make them feel completely American. For example, Maria Jacinto says "I think I'm still a Mexican. When my skin turns white and my hair turns blonde, then I'll be an American." According to http://www.washingtonpost.com/, “Jacinto became a U.S. citizen last April, but she doesn't feel like an American. In fact, she seems resistant to the idea
There are some benefits to assimilation. For example, someone who wrote an article called “To Assimilate or to Acculturate?” says, “After returning to America, I entered grade school. At first, I felt like an outsider coming from an Indian home. Students used to stare in bewilderment when I brought handvo, a traditional Gujarati …show more content…
Even if a little kid goes to school and finally assimilates to American culture, therefore making new friends, that child also loses a part of himself. We all grow up with certain traditions and culture in our family and country. For example, every single Christmas Eve my entire family gets together, goes to the night church service, and then stays at my Grandma’s house together for hours. That is a tradition in my family, and I have grown up with it and known it my entire life so far. If I were to move somewhere and had to give that tradition up just because my friends didn’t celebrate Christmas or something like that, I would be crushed because that specific tradition, is my favorite one. Imagine having to give up every tradition of your family’s, just because nobody around you does it. That’s how Immigrants feel when they assimilate to their “new” culture. Therefore, I believe they lose the most out of anyone who is affected by assimilation. Also, even though Immigrants will assimilate to American culture, even that doesn’t make them feel completely American. For example, Maria Jacinto says "I think I'm still a Mexican. When my skin turns white and my hair turns blonde, then I'll be an American." According to http://www.washingtonpost.com/, “Jacinto became a U.S. citizen last April, but she doesn't feel like an American. In fact, she seems resistant to the idea