David Bastien

English 1121-d428

March/16/2014

Essay # 2

Fitting In A New Place

Coming from another country with a very young child is a very stressful and fruitful opportunity in life. Many immigrants raise their kids based on the old Latino culture and do not take notice that they are in a new place and setting, but others  want to give their children the best chances to succeed  in this “Anglo-Saxon” society. A symbol of this is a quote from the poem, “Immigrant” by  Pat Mora  which says, “Wrap their babies in the American flag.”Which can symbolize many things , such as understanding what she really mean by wrapping the babies in a flag? The way “american” is not capitalized, does it lead to a deeper meaning. To Mora is she showing the different things or ways  that immigrants try to assimilate their children into American society in symbol or  details in her writing.

“Wrapping their babies in the American flag”, is a quote with a deeper explanation, showing that  the parents are raising the child in the way of the American. In which is speaking to him or her  in English ,feeding him or her American food such hot dogs, burger, and many other type of food. This way the child is adapted to the custom and social norms of the society and what is accepted and what can not be acknowledged without being frowned upon  and  subjugated by the people in society.

Also, another explanation is that the quote means being protected by the flag from danger of all sorts from their old homeland , having access to the best education, and health system and, many other public services without any type of problem. By bringing  their child to America they offer the child a better chance at becoming someone important and having  influence in the world ,which lets the parents know that it all wasn’t for nothing.

The flag can mean to covering away their old cultures identity and being replace by American culture and folkways. Since this countries founding it has been a safe-heaven for many people, races and culture to not fear of being persecuted fro problem’s such as. The struggle of African american in finding respect and equal rights with the white of the nation,and the Irish is in  being seen as white trash of the old European countries while just being a hard working people trying to find work to provide for themselves. The Japanese struggle with not being seen as a people who sold out the U.S. to Japan to create the death of thousands of solider and the cost of millions of dollars in damages to the United States government. Every race had their own reason for coming to America  so they shouldn’t have to worry about fitting in. So exactly America has become for many immigrants a mask to hide from or ore like a guardian angel protecting them from danger.

“Naming them Bill and Daisy, buying them blonde dolls that blink blue eyes or a football and tiny cleats,” are things they do to be accepted into the social norm. Rather then focus on making sure that  the children will know their past. They focus more on fitting in then being accepted or they hope to be? by both sides as a people of two distinct cultures and background to get a better chance in society. So rather then trying to get their kids to use both of his heritage rather then one they are   blinded by the need to be apart of the gang then have many eggs in different baskets. By get more for less  is that what human nature is all about, getting the best out of an opportunity without sacrificing too much to gain it.

To many this poem can just be about a race’s way of adapting into the countries more accepted in a Anglo-Saxon way of life then rather fitting in but knowing and showing other that you are not just an ordinary citizen. It can describe the way that coming to the United States is a very tough time for parents and young kids alike. It is difficult to deal with and not stick out like a sore thumb to achieve their goals and dreams. They take a risk entering to not be put down for differences and not mimicking Anglo-Saxon ways and the natural born citizens who don’t have to worry about the day to day problems that these immigrants face. Just like in the beginning of this nations history people came here to escape whatever problem or persecution that they were dealing with elsewhere.

In the poem, the author Mora doesn’t capitalize american in the last two lines of the poem in which it quotes,  “Will they like our boy, girl ,our fine american boy , our fine american girl?”The quote seems to have an deeper meaning in which it can symbolize that “american “ can be interpreted as an mask to hide their cultural or  real selves like a trickster , deceiving people into making them believe that they  are one thing but really are another entirely .To be accepted to the outside world can make their lives easier in the way that no one can question whether they are different , but instead be  seen as if they belong. They may  show the outside what they want to show but at the privacy of their homes or family or close friend they can take off the mask and  act like their totally accepted selves  in that setting.  Changing from one culture to another can be something of an loss for example going from Polish to American it could be that a person is forsaking their past and old ways of life for this unclear undefined homeland with many different unclear paths for  a person to take in life without any real guidance.

So in the end it’s all about one’s goal to try to fit in society, and just worrying about focusing on yourself and not what other think of you  .You will adjust over time and sooner than you think people will see you as an American who has lived here for years ,don’t try to hide your culture. Just accept your self and others will accepted you as well.