Wani 1

Zehn Wani
HON 1000
10/13/16
Who is Sal?
Saleem is always one to stand out; whether it be academics, religious practice, work
ethic, or just instances plain old luck, he always seems to reign superior to his peers. Although he
and his family live in the largely Sikh (2) community of Punjab, India, he is part of one of the
few Muslim families on the west side. Unlike his own family of tradesmen, merchants, and farm
owners, Saleem strives to be an intellectual - a scholar of science and mathematics. Thats why
when one day the 19-year-old hears that some men from the east side of the town are planning on
going to the United States for manual labor work on a new railroad (4), he decides to join in.
However, he is not going for the railroad, he wants to attend an American university and become
a working scholar to teach others. He knows that most Asian immigrants do not get accepted into
these universities, let alone the country with the current climate, but Saleem is never one to give
in. Although Saleem ventures off wildly to the United States in hopes of finding some monetary
gain and mainly intellectual value, he slowly begins to lose the ambition and personality traits
that he sets off with; as he carries on along his path, he continues to conform to others and the
growing American consumer culture.
Upon arrival to California in 1918, Saleem feels like he hits the ground running, for alas,
he is in the land of opportunity. He gets his picture taken for the first time in his life (2), he looks
a bit different from the Sikh men he comes with, he is not nearly as old or bulky, he does not
have a large turban to cover his hair, his skin is more fair, his beard is well kept and groomed, but
he is still in his traditional comfort clothes of a shalwar(long shirt) and kamis (loose pajama type

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pants) with a vest over it (4). Saleem is able to keep up with his prayers and adhere to the Islamic
principles he learned from his family in India his life is largely structured by these principles.
Soon after arriving, many of Saleems companions are able to find day-to-day jobs on the
railroad and some construction and mining work. He stays in the same hostel (4) as them, but
cannot fathom doing such uninteresting work his brain is set upon learning and seeking out a
teacher. He is able to ask around the other quarters about where he can find a university to enroll
in, his English is rough but better than most others. He is often meant by laughs, tongue clicks,
and head shakes. Months go by and Saleem is still living off of the earnings of his peers; he will
not be able to scrounge off of others for much longer. Even those who had jobs are now being
pushed away and forced to find something else. After months of asking around and even getting
as far as learning the application process to the California Institute of Technology, Saleem is
forced to give up his scholarly dreams and find work. The fiscal and racial pressures of the land
around him have left him no choice but to descend to a manual labor job. Meanwhile, others
immigrants of other races, mainly white, would have had an easier time being accepted into
society and move on to a university.
It is not as easy for Saleem now as it was for others just a few months ago. Immigrants
from all over the world have been flooding into the California region for work. Not only is this
taking the opportunity of jobs away from Saleem, but it is creating concern (5) for the citizens
that already live in the area and the United States in general. That is why when he embarks on his
mission to finally find a paying job, he is met back from his possible employers with hate and
racism even called a lousy hindoo. Even in a vastly dangerous, undesirable job such as
mining or railroad construction, the white population is hesitant on giving a job to a bearded man
in strange clothing that speaks decent English (5). Saleem is left perplexed and confused, he is

Wani 3
being denied the most worthless of jobs to him by just one look. Merely his appearance is
stopping him, so he changes it giving up the shalwar, kamis, and the beard. He wants to look as
acceptable as possible, like a true American. Luckily to him, his skin is more fare than most
others, so eventually, he is able to find a job as a fireman (5), shoveling coal into the large steam
engines of a train. His hours are often nonstop, so he does not have time to stop and complete his
prayers. He believes, however, that it is the cost of being successful. After giving up all his
religious and cultural standards, he is able to catch a glimpse of prosperity. He still views himself
as unique, though as a man with an enriched story on how he got to where he is and nothing
could take that away from him. Nonetheless, Saleems past physical and cultural uniqueness is
erased by the looming pressures of the society that surround him, forcing his hand in giving up
the morals that he adhered to for his entire lifespan. This young, Indian man is obligated to
completely alter who he is to make a few dollars, while many other immigrants from Europe
may only have to mend their language skills.
In Saleems time working on the train, he is able to interact with many more people of
different backgrounds than his. One of the other firemen that shares his shift is a young African
American man named Calvin. He tells Saleem about his family in Detroit, and how his father
works for an automobile company called Ford. Saleems former interests in science and
engineering sprout back, he asks to learn more. He finds out about a profit-sharing (6) plan made
to make all employees, even immigrants, into well cultured American citizens people from all
around the world have gotten jobs there. The idea of engineering, but mainly making a proud
living, sparks Saleems adventurous side again. He again embarks on a journey, this time from
one side of the continent to the other. He arrives in Detroit 1921. The city is booming: a million
moving parts in front of his eyes, new challenges and new opportunity; there is even a Muslim

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community (3). Saleem is able to get a job at Ford, his previous experience and improving
English sets him apart, but he still goes through the school and melting pot(1). Soon after, he is
no longer Saleem. He is Sal, a young American bachelor. He has no past story, that is Saleem,
Sal is looking forward to the future. Sal can blend into the crowd, he is a normal
indistinguishable man with a clean single bedroom (6) and a top hat. The growing consumer
culture has removed Saleem from society and created a cookie-cutter form in Sal.

Works Cited

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1. "160 FORD WORKERS RECEIVE DIPLOMAS." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 2. Oct 02
1916. ProQuest. Web. 12 Oct. 2016 .
2. Sikh Immigrants 1910. Digital image. Immigration to the United States. N.p., 2015. Web. 12
Oct.2016.
3. "MOSLEMS HERE BUILD MOSQUE." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 4. Jan 11
1921. ProQuest. Web. 12 Oct. 2016 .
4. Pavri, Tinaz. "Asian Indian Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America. Ed.
Thomas Riggs. 3rd ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2014. 165-178. Gale Virtual Reference
Library. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
5. Hess, Gary R. "The Forgotten Asian Americans: The East Indian Community In The United
States." Pacific Historical Review 43.4 (1974): 576-596. America: History & Life. Web.
12 Oct. 2016.
6. Ford Motor Company. Helpful Hints And Advice to Employees to Help Them Grasp the
Opportunities Which Are Presented to Them by the Ford Profit-sharing Plan. Detroit,
Mich., 1915.