Gianna Igoe

Ms. Yi-Ting Chang

ENG/AAS 428

21 March 2020

The Asian-American Dream

Often as human beings we want, or often crave, a sense of belonging. This statement is

mostly valid for all, no matter, gender, sexual orientation, or in this case ​race.​ Generations and

generations of immigrants fill the country called America, from Europe to Africa to Asia and so

on. Of course all of these people are important in the making of this melting pot of a country, but

the focus here is on Asian-Americans. What makes an Asian-American, both Asian and

American. Of course it's their ethnic background, but how does one simply balance both without

accidentally leaving behind the past of one in order to ​blend in​ with the present of the oncoming

future.

Since the beginning of time in America those of Asian descent were well-versed in

standing out whether they wanted to or not. Standing out so much that in some cases they tried to

make it easier on themselves to blend in,​ assimilate​. The root of this started with them being, “

“pushed” by hardships in the homelands and “pulled” ... by America’s demand for their labor”

(Takaki 7). However, this forced them to be in a foreign land, with new people, a new language,

and so much more. This led to them being at the hands of alienation, they could not hide it, they

looked different from other immigrants. While those from European countries could easily blend

in, Asians could not. To put it simply, “coming here from Asia, many of America’s immigrants
found they were not allowed to feel at home in the United States, they are not viewed and

accepted as Americans. “We feel that we’re a guest in someone else’s house…” (Takaki 11).

Guests are exactly what they were, but guests would be a nicer version than how they were

treated.

Asians were not viewed as guests in America, in many cases it was to the point where the

way they were treated could be considered dehumanization. Often though, throughout history

Asians were and still are considered the “model minority.” This idea of the “model minority” is

ultimately how America ​claimed​ them within the stories we have read. While we can view this

as them “claiming” America, it is actually quite the opposite because their way of proving

loyalty was to blend in, like a chameleon. Taking life how it was handed to them, versus resisting

the obvious xenophobic ways of those that surrounded them. This was how they decided to

essentially “take over America”: Playing it cool and following the rules, “they could not be who

they were, they had to be what they were taught” (Yang 118). The importance though behind

them ​blending in​ to what they were taught was as many of the books seem to elaborate on: for

their future generations to live better lives. To have what many immigrants wanted at the time

for their children: The American Dream.

America, the place for future happiness, to gain success, or even “get a chance to live in a

house that belonged to storybooks” (Yang 194). America was all this in one, except it was not.

Over and over again in the books the idea of America is reinforced by gaining success, and a

hope for a better future. This question was once asked in GB Trans novel, “Do you think your

sister and brother will ever come back?” with the response, “Hmph! Would you?” (Tran 76).

This is a perfect representation of what America did for some, because the rest of the novel these
siblings were not mentioned at all. These children were sent away on scholarships, and

seemingly disappeared from their families without a trace left behind. America was a place

where people disappeared and started over, leaving their past behind. Yet no one really knew

what America actually was, they all looked forward to this almost magical like world but as

another author states, “I lost myself to a dream of growing up in a land I didn’t know how to

imagine”( Yang 120). America was just considered better, but why? No one exactly knew,

because even as they settled in America it seemed “[it] was supposed to be for all of us, only we

were lonely, lost, and struggling every day at a life that constantly looked to the future for

happiness” (Yang 144). The writer from The Latecomer proves the point that even she had no

idea what to expect, and when the expected happened it was not what she exactly had in mind. In

each Asian-American novel that was read it does not seem there is a specific image of America,

yet somehow it is better. This act of being better definitely outweighs the past of many of the

characters from our stories though. One main way the cultural imagination of America is

reinforced is the topic of education. Although it may be too late for the adults, their work in

America is so their kids could have better futures. So they give up their past selves, and blend in,

so that their kids can complete some type of future within the American Dream, “It was the first

validation of the dream: education was the answer to our lives’ questions” (Yang 145).

Instead of being in the middle of war, poverty, with little to no education America gives

the chance for the youth to succeed. Which may seem ironic in the fact that some of these issues

were repercussions of America, yet still Asians did not seem to ever hold a grudge. As one book

states, “My thoughts shifted from the past to the future” (Okubo 209). Just like that the character

moves to the next chapter of her life, never dwelling on the past. Each author seems to follow
that same flow, yes they went through hardships and rough times, but to forgive and forget and

to make amends in the future seems to be the main life lesson Asian-Americans follow. They

address the facts of what happened and then continue with the hope for a better future, in a

country that has a second chance to treat them better.

Second chances seem to be happening a lot within the tangles of these stories, weather it

be with America or within the characters themselves. Most Asian-American stories have both the

want or need to blend in, but sooner or later there comes a point where there is ​a realization​.

That realization is their second chance, in coming to terms that it's okay to challenge or resist the

norm. The norm being the idealization of America and being the ​ideal American​. This act of

blending in and trying to become the ideal American, was just another way America was actually

claiming them. Taking away what made them who they were, stripping them of where they came

from and how their differences actually made them unique. The authors challenge America

claiming them, when their characters realize they can be both American and Asian. For example,

the symbol of the red book in GB Trans novel shows at first how the author avoided his family's

culture. Although you cannot blame him since he was raised in America, the book shows the

exact shift where GB begins to appreciate the other part he also represents because, “A man

without history is a tree without roots” (Tran)

While it is often easier for one to leave their own language behind in exchange for the

more popular one, or the foods one once ate in exchange for greasy foods, or even one's sense of

fashion in order to be less noticeable. All of these things are a part of an identity, an identity

many try to leave behind, or try to avoid because it is not the “American Ideal.” However,
towards the end of our novels most authors come to conclude the importance of carrying on their

cultural backgrounds and history for generations to come.

Taking both ideas of being Asian and being American and blending them, representative

of both in one, neither more one than the other. Of course it is hard when most peers cannot

relate to the other side one may identify with, but with identifying as ​Asian-American​ one does

not assimilate. Instead, they help in educating on the past and the future of Asian-Americans in

America. To ultimately live an Asian-American Dream.