Amen Hazoume

Professor Selby

English 1101

8 September 2023

Self-question about the identity of the immigrant and personal reflection in ‘’Born in

Amrika’’.

Born in Amrika is written by Mona Maisami. In this text, the author describes her

dual identity As Iranian American. the author tries to describe the life of Iranians (culture…) by taking for

example her relatives and the life of Americans. Mona feels different from her relatives because she was

born and raised in an American culture and style of life. These differences make her feel incredibly sad

because she assumes that as a child of Iranian parents, she is supposed to know about their culture and

do everything for them. In this essay, I will delve into my personal response to the text by answering the

following questions: Did I like the text, and why or why not? Were there any aspects of the text that

resonated with me personally? Did I agree or disagree with the text, and if so, which parts and why?

Finally, I will discuss how this text prompted me to contemplate the main ideas surrounding cultural

identity.

‘’Born in Amrika’ is a remarkably interesting and provoking text. The attractive thing about the text is the

ability of the author to explain her life in this struggle situation and her emotions. Mona's writing is

enjoyable for every reader who does not even have the same story or background as her. The

interesting thing about the text is also that Mona describes the lifestyle or difficulties that a lot of people

are facing in today’s life. In this text, the most important thing was the difficulties of self-identity. The
author gives her point of view and answer by saying identity is not dependent on where you are from or

which background you have but, it only depends on what you yourself really want to be. As Mona in her

text, I usually have self-reflection about my real identity because a lot of people are in the same

situation as the narrator on this day. Due to some conflict, and insecurity in some countries, people

choose to immigrate, and this immigration is sometimes the cause of double nationality which creates

identity problems for children who have another origin different from their country of birth. Thanks to

this story, people will be themselves and know that they do not have to choose as identity their country

of birth or their parent’s country of birth. For instance, this story helps me personally because I was born

in a country where my family is not from. I always question myself about where I am really from because

was born in a country that is not really my ancestor country but by reading the text ‘’born in Amrika’’, I

realized that I do not have to choose my country of origin or my country of birth as identity, but I can be

both. The members of my family speak a language which I do not understand. In this situation, I always

ask myself about my real identity, but reading this text I find out that I do not have to choose between

the two countries.

I strongly agree with the message the author is trying to share in this text. The author emphasized that

identity does not depend on your background, your skin color or your personality and is not also

something fixed or unchangeable. He believes that a human being can choose his identity or which

country, culture, or tribute he belongs to. I feel connected to his message because according to me,

people do not have to choose between two or multiple countries or tributes for their own identity, but

they can be part of every of them.

However, there was a moment in the text when the protagonist's cousin, Nina, reacted negatively to

questions about her dress. While I understand that Nina's discomfort may have stemmed from cultural

differences, I found it slightly challenging to empathize with her perspective in this instance. I believe
open dialogue about cultural differences is essential for fostering understanding and connection, and I

wished that Nina had been more open to discussing her cultural heritage.

Absolutely, "Born in Amrika" encouraged me to contemplate the main idea of cultural identity in more

depth. The text illuminated the idea that cultural identity is not confined to a single label or category.

Instead, it's a dynamic, evolving process influenced by multiple factors such as upbringing, environment,

and personal experiences.

The text prompted me to reflect on the idea that cultural identity need not be a source of conflict or

confusion but can be a source of richness and diversity. It challenged me to reevaluate my own

assumptions and biases about cultural identity, urging me to embrace the fluidity and complexity of this

aspect of human existence.

In conclusion, "Born in Amrika" by Mona Maisami is a compelling exploration of cultural identity and the

complexities of being Iranian American. My personal response to the text was positive, as it resonated

with my own experiences of navigating dual cultural identities. While I may have had minor

disagreements with certain aspects of the text, its overarching message about the fluidity and richness

of cultural identity deeply resonated with me. Reading this text encouraged me to think more deeply

about the intricacies of cultural identity, and I found it both enlightening and empowering.