American Dream My Ass!!!

I think we have all heard the phrase “Living the American Dream” but who is living it? I think the “American Dream” is like asking one what beauty is; it is all in the eye of the beholder. I took a quick peek into wikipedia for a definition and it says “subjective term usually implying a successful and satisfying life…The term is used by many modern Americans to signify success in life as a result of hard work”.

I believe long ago the definition of the phrase was easier defined but now it has turned into an ideal that makes people more materialistic and is seriously disappointing to naive immigrants. Today’s America as turned from a country that welcomed immigrants to one that would rather turn them away. Jasmine, a book written by Bharati Mukherjee, is about this very topic of immigration and the “American Dream”.

Immigrants face the challenge of adapting to a new country and in one particular case Jasmine, the main character of the novel Jasmine, explains “We murder who we were so we can rebirth ourselves in the image of our dreams”. (29) This is very interesting because it displays a great desire to improve your life that comes from experiencing very bad living conditions. I also believe that immigrants for the most part are very motivated and hard working people because they have seen the bottom where as many nationals can only fantasize about it.

Jasmine tells about past conversations with her mother in law about times of hardship and poverty. “Mother Ripplemeyer tells me her Depression stories. In the beginning, I thought we could trade some world class poverty stories, but mine make her uncomfortable.” (16) When describing to Mother Ripplemeyer Jasmine gives a fair enough reason and exclaims “I want to protect her from too much reality.” I think a part of assimilation is transforming yourself into a new person and being reborn in that new country. One should always remember where you came from but immigration is an act of improvement and adaptation.

Jasmine did not buy into the American Dream ideology but rather came to America for other reasons and in the process improved her own identity. In the novel she shares her native foods with her new American family and is embraced because of her foreignness, despite being nicknamed Jane. So next time you come across an immigrant take the time to give them respect for packing their bags, leaving their families and changing their entire persona to live a better life because after all..... its what you would do.