Samantha Hughes

A.P. Language and Composition

Mrs. Kish
27 October 2015
Assimilation of Immigrants into the United States Society
For centuries people have been uprooting their entire lives in order to seek something
better for themselves and their families. These people have left behind everything they once
knew; their homes, culture, friends and family in order to seek a great perhaps, but once arrived
it may be harder for them to fit in than they originally predicted. Cultural assimilation has been
the major struggle for new immigrants for centuries, but once officially indoctrinated into new
cultures does that mean they lose their own in the process? The Hunger of Memory, a
compilation of short essays by the son of two Mexican immigrants, Richard Rodriguez, delves
into what assimilation into American society means, what one both loses and gains in the process
and how this Americanization affected his relationship with his parents growing up.
Assimilation by definition means, the absorption of one culture into another. While it
may be an example of how cultures spread and ultimately grow, this absorption may not always
be a positive one. For example, when coming to America in the late 19th century, Chinese
immigrants were forced to hide themselves away in tight-knit communities or face persecution
because they refused to give up their customs for more American ones. Though times have
changed, this agitation towards others who are perceived as different stands. People like
Rodriguez and his family, if not compliant with the constantly shifting American ideals and
beliefs, could face feeling like social outcasts. Which is a direct factor in why so many newly

immigrated families decide to give up their old traditions all together and become more
Americanized in the process. However, the Rodriguezs were not one of them, on page 11 he
writes that, confidence of belonging in public was withheld from them both [his parents]. They
regarded the people at work, the faces in crowds, as very distant from us. They were the others,
los gringos (Rodriguez, 11). Due to the Rodriguezs inability to fully emerge themselves into
the American culture, they would always be seen as leapers instead of real citizens.
When thrown head first into the fast paced American society, many customs and
traditions that bring families together disappear. Language is one of the most specific things that
start to fade when assimilation into American culture takes a precedence over family bonding.
Richard Rodriguez says again and again the distance he feels between himself and his family is
due to the things they can no longer share together. On page 4 he speaks about one of those
American culture ideas that his parents would simply just not understand, I also speak Spanish
today. And read Garcia Lorca and Garcia Marquez at my leisure. But what consolation can that
fact bring against the knowledge that my mother and father never heard of Garcia Lorca or
Garcia Marquez? What preoccupies me is immediate: the separation I endure with my parents in
loss (Rodriguez, 4). Here, his readiness to give up what makes him unique in his cultural
backgrounds builds a wall between himself and his parents. This is seen not only in immigrants
but in more traditional American families as they start to give up things that were once seen as
fully American customs; such as family game night or Sunday dinners.
The benefits and negatives of Rodriguezs decision to immerse himself into American
society, giving up his last touch of Mexican influence is riddled throughout his essays. However,
his main sense of loss is the loss of connection he could have had with his parents. Due to the

language and education barrier he believes he will never be as close to them as he would have
liked. He states this multiple times, even within the first couple of pages as he mentions his
parents, hesitant, accented, not always grammatical english (Rodriguez, 11). And his complete
embarrassment over it. Readers of his essays can come to the conclusion that he feels as if he has
chosen America, over his family, a decision that weighs heavily over him. The greatest benefit of
choosing to become Americanized, however, is his sense of belonging in a country in which he
fits in. On page 12, he speaks about his trips abroad as an adult, he says, In hotel lobies or
airports, in Turkey or Brazil, some Americans will pass, and suddenly I will hear it again--the
high sound of American voices. For a few seconds I will hear it with pleasure, for it is now the
sound of my society (Rodriguez, 12). While Rodriguez, who otherwise would have been
thought of as other by the American public, gets to belong because he decided to give up his
native heritage and traditions in order to adopt more American ones, which into his adult years
becomes both a blessing and curse.
Assimilation into American culture is an extremely personal affair that differs from
person to person based on differing experiences and attitudes of their past and present societal
norms. Some chose to stick to their roots, like Richards parents, and others decide it is in their
best interest to adapt to their new environment. There is no right or wrong way, on the contrary
there is no guideline at all for becoming a part of a new culture. However, it is important to
remember that both decisions has drawbacks and positives, whether those are feeling distant
from family members yet feeling connected to the everyday people one meets, or feeling like an
outcast in their own country but knowing and relating to personal history. Assimilation is a

matter of choice, and Richard Rodriguez is a perfect example of how that choice influences and
spreads throughout his life.