For progression one, we first read seven essays that dealt with race, stereotypes, and living in the United States. After analyzing each reading, we had to focus on one essay that we liked and could argue about. We did exercises on how to write to different audiences, like a friend, author, or the general academic audience, and then we wrote on our first essay.
The Results of People's Assumptions
Although the United States is known as the melting pot because of the people with different ethnicities living here, many Americans may experience some judgment or discrimination, whether it is life changing or unnoticeable. Once the public begins to criticize a person because of their ethnicity, one may feel ashamed of who they are and may want to become someone else. Because of this, a person may hide from their true personality and lose their cultural identity. However, once that person feels unthreatened by another person’s words, they will be able to appreciate their upbringing and may even be happier than allowing that person’s opinion to affect them. For instance, in Zora Neale Hurston’s essay, “How It Feels to Be Colored Me,” Hurston grows up in a black community and feels accepted, but once she moves to a white neighborhood, she immediately experiences discrimination. Instead of being embarrassed, Zora embraces her culture and does not change who she is regardless of contrasting opinions. With this in mind, people should not allow other’s assumptions on race determine who they truly are and what they are capable of. If people allow another person’s opinions to matter more than their own, they begin to forget their own beliefs and lose their identity in exchange for a person’s Furthermore, when people allow others’ opinions to impact their everyday actions and beliefs, they begin to lose sight of who they truly are, but once a person disregards others’ judgments, they will be happy and appreciate who they are today.
By ignoring the criticism that she encounters, Hurston does not change whom she is to fit into her neighborhood. Once Hurston realizes that the white community does not want to associate themselves with her, she experiences what it is like to be colored and not cared about. However, the actions, thoughts, and words of the new community do not cause her to feel embarrassed or make her physically hide who she is: “Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, and over swept, but through it all, I remain myself. When covered by the waters, I am; and the ebb but reveals me again” (Hurston 45). Hurston experiences constant discrimination living amongst people of a different skin color. She bares the characteristics that are said about her, and manages to be the same person she was growing up. Although it is not easy for a person to ignore negative comments, they must remember that other people’s opinions do not always matter. A person must be able to embrace their heritage or personality and not allow it to hinder their capabilities despite what society or other people may believe.
Similar to Hurston, writer Elizabeth Wong experiences what it is like to live in the United States as a different ethnicity, but instead of embracing her culture, Wong attempts to disassociate herself from her Chinese life. As described in her essay, “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl,” Wong was forced to attend Chinese school and learn the language of her ancestors, but she disliked attending classes. When she finally had the choice to continue school, she refused and thought of her language as loud and embarrassing. Instead of appreciating her culture, Wong grows resentful and sad that she cannot be fully American (Wong 143). Like Wong, people attempt to separate themselves from their ethnicity because they are embarrassed. These people allow bystanders’ opinions to shape their personality, but they do not have to change in order to prove themselves or fit in. Accordingly, Wong attempted to become an all-American girl by celebrating American holidays and eating American food, but ultimately never felt satisfied because she was still Chinese (144). Despite a person’s desire to change who they are by separating themselves from their ethnicity, they will never be able to fully accomplish their wish since their race is with them forever. Someone may want to become another race or “all-American,” but they will never be happy since they cannot get rid of their ethnicity. Since Wong and similar people adapt to the judgments of other people, they are not able to accept who they are and often become depressed or embarrassed of their ethnicity or personality.
Although I have had assumptions made about me, I have not always allowed them to control my life. Attending an all-girls high school with a majority of Caucasians, I felt out of my comfort zone, but the presumptions that people believed made me feel even more uncomfortable. For instance, whenever a student would automatically assume that I was in all honors and advanced placement classes, I would reply embarrassingly, that I was not. Since I am Asian, the girls would immediately believed I was extremely smart and good at math and science, but since this was not true, I felt the need to prove myself. As a result, I allowed their thoughts to matter and pushed myself to move into honors classes. Once I was in an honors class, I ended up receiving bad grades and became frustrated and upset with myself. I had felt the pressure to live up to the expectations of my classmates, but once I stopped listening to their opinions and paid more attention to what I wanted, I felt more like myself. Even though I am Asian, I am not necessarily going to take the hardest classes or be the top of the class. I do not fit the stereotype, but this does not mean I think of my race as a burden. Instead, I have learned more about my culture by working in a Filipino restaurant and being surrounded by the language. Hearing the thoughts that were made about me because I am Asian, often left me disheartened, but being able to accept my individuality has led to a more fulfilling life.
When a person is judged upon because of their ethnicity, they may find themselves trying to live up to these judgments or feeling embarrassed because of their heritage, but this may cause that person to forget who they are and what they believe. Once a person prohibits these assumptions to control their lives, they are able to realize their true identity and be happy. Since someone cannot fully separate themselves from their ethnicity, they may never feel satisfied and will always try to fit in. Conversely, I felt the need to be a stereotypical Asian, but through this experience, I realized that I should think about what I want instead of listening to others. Once people allow others’ opinions to shape how they act they may lose their identity, but remembering what they really want in life and their beliefs, a person manages to embrace their culture and individuality.
Works Cited
Hurston, Zora Neale. "How It Feels to Be Colored Me." The Norton Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction Prose. Ed. John C. Brereton and Linda H. Peterson. Vol. 12. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. 43-46. Print.
Wong, Elizabeth. “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl.” The Short Prose Reader. Ed. Gibert H. Muller and Harvey S. Wiener. 10th ed. McGraw Hill, 2003. 142-144. Print.
By ignoring the criticism that she encounters, Hurston does not change whom she is to fit into her neighborhood. Once Hurston realizes that the white community does not want to associate themselves with her, she experiences what it is like to be colored and not cared about. However, the actions, thoughts, and words of the new community do not cause her to feel embarrassed or make her physically hide who she is: “Among the thousand white persons, I am a dark rock surged upon, and over swept, but through it all, I remain myself. When covered by the waters, I am; and the ebb but reveals me again” (Hurston 45). Hurston experiences constant discrimination living amongst people of a different skin color. She bares the characteristics that are said about her, and manages to be the same person she was growing up. Although it is not easy for a person to ignore negative comments, they must remember that other people’s opinions do not always matter. A person must be able to embrace their heritage or personality and not allow it to hinder their capabilities despite what society or other people may believe.
Similar to Hurston, writer Elizabeth Wong experiences what it is like to live in the United States as a different ethnicity, but instead of embracing her culture, Wong attempts to disassociate herself from her Chinese life. As described in her essay, “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl,” Wong was forced to attend Chinese school and learn the language of her ancestors, but she disliked attending classes. When she finally had the choice to continue school, she refused and thought of her language as loud and embarrassing. Instead of appreciating her culture, Wong grows resentful and sad that she cannot be fully American (Wong 143). Like Wong, people attempt to separate themselves from their ethnicity because they are embarrassed. These people allow bystanders’ opinions to shape their personality, but they do not have to change in order to prove themselves or fit in. Accordingly, Wong attempted to become an all-American girl by celebrating American holidays and eating American food, but ultimately never felt satisfied because she was still Chinese (144). Despite a person’s desire to change who they are by separating themselves from their ethnicity, they will never be able to fully accomplish their wish since their race is with them forever. Someone may want to become another race or “all-American,” but they will never be happy since they cannot get rid of their ethnicity. Since Wong and similar people adapt to the judgments of other people, they are not able to accept who they are and often become depressed or embarrassed of their ethnicity or personality.
Although I have had assumptions made about me, I have not always allowed them to control my life. Attending an all-girls high school with a majority of Caucasians, I felt out of my comfort zone, but the presumptions that people believed made me feel even more uncomfortable. For instance, whenever a student would automatically assume that I was in all honors and advanced placement classes, I would reply embarrassingly, that I was not. Since I am Asian, the girls would immediately believed I was extremely smart and good at math and science, but since this was not true, I felt the need to prove myself. As a result, I allowed their thoughts to matter and pushed myself to move into honors classes. Once I was in an honors class, I ended up receiving bad grades and became frustrated and upset with myself. I had felt the pressure to live up to the expectations of my classmates, but once I stopped listening to their opinions and paid more attention to what I wanted, I felt more like myself. Even though I am Asian, I am not necessarily going to take the hardest classes or be the top of the class. I do not fit the stereotype, but this does not mean I think of my race as a burden. Instead, I have learned more about my culture by working in a Filipino restaurant and being surrounded by the language. Hearing the thoughts that were made about me because I am Asian, often left me disheartened, but being able to accept my individuality has led to a more fulfilling life.
When a person is judged upon because of their ethnicity, they may find themselves trying to live up to these judgments or feeling embarrassed because of their heritage, but this may cause that person to forget who they are and what they believe. Once a person prohibits these assumptions to control their lives, they are able to realize their true identity and be happy. Since someone cannot fully separate themselves from their ethnicity, they may never feel satisfied and will always try to fit in. Conversely, I felt the need to be a stereotypical Asian, but through this experience, I realized that I should think about what I want instead of listening to others. Once people allow others’ opinions to shape how they act they may lose their identity, but remembering what they really want in life and their beliefs, a person manages to embrace their culture and individuality.
Works Cited
Hurston, Zora Neale. "How It Feels to Be Colored Me." The Norton Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction Prose. Ed. John C. Brereton and Linda H. Peterson. Vol. 12. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. 43-46. Print.
Wong, Elizabeth. “The Struggle to Be an All-American Girl.” The Short Prose Reader. Ed. Gibert H. Muller and Harvey S. Wiener. 10th ed. McGraw Hill, 2003. 142-144. Print.