Saxena 1

Section # 1000-520

Yash Saxena
Essay #1: Who Are We?
Daniel OSullivan came to the United States in an effort to escape coming under the
British Rule when his county in Ireland chose to remain a part of Great Britain known as
Northern Ireland. When OSullivan arrived in the US with his small bag and a handful of coins
from Ireland he didnt know what was in store for him in his new home. The first thing he did
when he got off the boat was buy a newspaper. The first headline read, Chalmers Motor
Company looking to hire 2,000 workers. Being new to the city, Daniel didn't know where this
Ford Motor Company was or how he was to get there. He found the man who sold him the
newspaper and asked him, Excuse me sir, where is this Chalmers Motor Company Located?
Dont Know. the man said in a stern tone
Okay, Thank You Daniel said and left.
After hours of searching for the Ford Motor Company, Daniel finally found a bus which
would take him there. He quickly hopped on the bus eager to see what this new job had in store
for him. When he first entered the bus, he tried to sit in seats in the first row where he knew there
would be enough room for him and the other person sitting there. However, just when he was
about to sit down next to a man dressed in a long coat and wearing a broad brimmed hat, the man
picked up his briefcase from the floor and set it on the seat next to him leaving no room for
Daniel to sit.
Excuse me sir, could you make some room for me? Daniel kindly asked
Sit in the back you immigrant he said without even looking at Daniel

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Daniel was taken aback by this remark. He had asked so politely yet received such a rude
response in return.
Maybe things will brighten up from here he thought to himself as he stood in the back
of the bus.
When Daniel got off the bus and arrived at the factory, he saw that he was not alone.
People from all walks of life, Irish, Black, Indian all were waiting for the same opportunities that
he had been waiting for. He waited in line, waited for hso chance to start a new job in a new
country and begin a new life. After what seems like hours, Daniels turn finally came. He walked
up to the person who was interviewing and said, Hello sir, my name is Daniel OSullivan and I
would like to work here
Well see about that the man said Where are you from?
Sir I came all the way from Ireland to work here for you sir! Daniel said eagerly
Oh, so you're an immigrant? the man said
Yes, sir I came to the United States in search of work Daniel explained
Suddenly, the mans tone changed, I'm sorry Mr. OSullivan we do not have work for
people of...your nationality at Chalmers
But sir, I know I can do this job Daniel plead
Mr. OSullivan, you immigrants think that you can just come into our country and take
the jobs of our people don't you? What about all the Americans who are waiting in line just like
you, if I hire you, you are taking away their job, and I cannot let that happen the man said
angrily
But sir, I can do the job better than them that is why you should hire me Daniel said

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I do not care, now you will have to leave Mr. OSullivan the man ordered.
A dejected Daniel walked out of the factory wondering if he had made the right choice
coming to America. It seemed as if everyone was against him and that he would never find a job
here. In order to survive, Daniel took jobs he was overqualified for simply because they were the
only jobs that would take him. He worked as a busboy at a local diner, the janitor at a school and
countless other jobs just to keep himself alive in this new city.

A year had gone by and Daniel was still stuck in the same cycle as he was when he first
arrived in Detroit. He would go to job openings in the automobile industry in hopes of someone
giving him a chance to work in the field that he specialized in , but every time , like his first day,
he would get denied and sometimes even thrown out because he was an Irish immigrant. He
would then go on to whatever low end job he would have at the time. Hed spend his nights
working long shifts picking up dirty dishes off of tables or sweeping up the empty halls of
schools or business buildings. Every night hes lay in bed wondering if he had made the correct
decision to leave his home country and come to the United States.
Throughout all of this however, Daniel had formed relationships with a very tight knit
Irish community located in Detroit. He felt as if he was at home when he was with them. They
too were denied the jobs that they were qualified for because they were Irish. They all
understood each others problems and helped each other in times of need. One day, when Daniel
came back after a late nights work, one of his friends from his Irish group, Connor, came to talk
to him.
I have a plan to escape this dirt poor life were living here Dan Connor said

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What do you mean, what can we possibly do? Daniel questioned

I heard that in Boston, the Irish population is so big that the people there are forced to
give them the same types of jobs we have here Connor exclaimed
What? Are you serious? said Daniel
Yes! I have a few friends there and they write me letters telling me all about what
happens there Connor said, Boston is where the life we have always been dreaming about is
Connor, Daniel said
Yeah
Lets go tomorrow
What, Dan we cant just get up and leave like that tomorrow! Connor reasoned
Why not Connor! If we stay here we'll get stuck, us Irish have always dreamed about
being successful here in the United States. How much longer are were going to make our lives
hell working jobs that we hate? We have to go Connor we have to get a better life Daniel
pleaded
The next morning, Daniel and Connor embarked on a new journey. The same journey
that they had dreamt about achieving ever since they had left Ireland. Now as they left Detroit
Daniel vowed to never look back at Detroit again. He vowed he would never look back again at
the hard times that they faced while in the city.They looked forward towards the city of Boston
where they dreamed of success and a life that they would enjoy living. They looked to starting a
new life, the correct life, the life that all Irish immigrants they of living when they left to come to
the United States. They were finally headed towards the Irish American Dream.

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Works Cited
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