Interpreter of Maladies is a collection of short stories that explore several important themes, one being the immigration experience. Throughout our course, we have seen multiple characters in multiple different stories facing the challenge to adapt and change when being placed in a new environment, thus revealing feelings of being an “other” and facing an identity crossroads- much of this we see in the various short stories of Interpreter of Maladies.
Assimilation is described as when a person and/or group adopts the ways of the dominant culture and/or society that is differing of their own. America prides itself on being a country of diversity and a safe place for immigrants, yet American’s expect immigrants to assimilate to become their created version of “American”. When thinking about assimilation, sure some of it can be good (e.g. sharing U.S. customs with others), but I couldn’t help but feel upset about the expectation of it. If we, as the U.S. are so prideful about being diverse and welcoming of immigrants, why do we have this horrible expectation that they must become like this idea of “American”? Why would we, as the U.S. place someone at such an identity cross roads of who they truly are and have been, to become something their not just for the sake of safety and social acceptance?
The article, Stop Telling Immigrants to Assimilate and Start Helping them Participate (Goings, 2020), discusses this concept of assimilation in a similar viewpoint. He describes in almost perfect words that America forces assimilation instead of assisting with the process of assimilation- Goings (2020) quotes, “Too often, officials see immigrants as a problem that needs to be administered, instead of an opportunity that we should all invest in”. The article also gives an example of a program created back in 1928 called the Welcome Wagon in TN that welcomed new community members, mostly immigrants to the community and offered assistance in several areas such as governmental assistance programs, local schools, community events, health services, etc and appointed an individual to set the new individual up with a “toolkit” so to speak, for success and to feel welcome. Somehow over time, America has sadly lost that welcoming approach. As Goings (2020) states, “we will succeed if we help immigrants combine the links in their ethnic community while building connections to their new home country around them”.
What do you think about assimilation in America? Would you be in favor of a program similar to the Welcome Wagon?
Image reference: https://www.google.com/search?q=cultural%20assimilation%20cartoon&tbm=isch&hl=en&client=firefox-b-1-e&sa=X&ved=0CCAQtI8BKAFqFwoTCKD6r8f1hPQCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAH&biw=1440&bih=716#imgrc=MvvdBtOPJwwafM
“Stop Telling Immigrants to Assimilate and Start Helping Them Participate.” World Economic Forum, 6 Feb. 2020, www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/stop-telling-immigrants-to-assimilate-and-start-helping-them-participate.