Culture Clash Essay Research Paper Culture Clash free essay sample

Culture Clash Essay, Research Paper Culture Clash is a narrative of two households from different backgrounds, civilization seeking to populate in harmoniousness. They are seeking their hardest to understand each other # 8217 ; s imposts and traditions. One of the household is your typical in-between category American household, Ellen and Ben Matthews, proprietors of a place, a little concern, two autos and three childs. The other household are refugees from Vietnam. Kim and Quang, Vietnamese freshly weds in their 20 # 8217 ; s flying their ain state with Kim # 8217 ; s two sisters, Lan and Minh. This book is written through Ellen Matthews # 8217 ; s point of position about their battles, differences and how they coped with them. Ben Matthews was in the military and served some clip in Vietnam. In this service clip he has gained some experience covering with Vietnamese people and he has a unsmooth apprehension of their civilization and imposts. He besides has some unconscious guilt about America abandoning Vietnam, which is one of the grounds why Ellen believe he has signed up to patronize a refugee household. We will write a custom essay sample on Culture Clash Essay Research Paper Culture Clash or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The two households foremost met in August of 1975 at the refugee campground. In their first twosome of months, aside from the obvious linguistic communication barrier, there were many misunderstandings, misconceptions, miscommunications and misinterpretations. One of the first misconceptions that occurred was that Kim and Quang, and most Vietnamese people thought that all Americans are rich. This misconception was likely brought Forth due to the many good 2nd manus points that were donated to Kim and Quang when they foremost arrived to America. Many 2nd manus points that were donated included a black and white Television and furniture. In their fatherland these points would # 8217 ; ve been considered good merely for the rich, but it # 8217 ; s non the same in America. There # 8217 ; s an old expression # 8220 ; One adult male # 8217 ; s rubbish is another adult male # 8217 ; s hoarded wealth # 8221 ; . This couldn # 8217 ; t be truer in Vietnam. In Vietnam, the typical in-be tween category household with two autos and a house would be considered rich. Quang said it best when he mentioned that a house in Vietnam is made with # 8220 ; a few french friess out of the woodwork or things lying on the floor # 8221 ; . The linguistic communication barrier and misinterpretations has ever been a job for the two households. One of the points that Ellen chose to do was that she did non like Kim imploring other people for money and other freebees such as nutrient casts. In Kim # 8217 ; s ain words, she says, # 8220 ; We no have money to purchase nutrient # 8221 ; . Ellen looks at this as if Kim is looking for a press release, while Ben believes that there are words and intending lost in the interlingual rendition. I agree with Ben, I believe that what Kim is seeking to state is that she is looking for a occupation in order to purchase nutrient and support her household. Asiatic people tend to convey messages and utilize implicative linguistic communication to replace direct petition. Americans are normally really direct and will take words literally, which explains some of Ellen # 8217 ; s misconceptions to Kim # 8217 ; s pleading, which could be interpreted as a petition for a occupation. Americans besides has their defects of conveying messages that Asians misinterprets. Since Americans are normally really direct when it comes to petitions and emotions, they are obscure in other countries such as a friendly notation of proposing a # 8220 ; acquire together: . Americans will most likely usage this as a polite signifier to stop a conversation or a meeting. Asians that aren # 8217 ; t familiar with American civilization will take this literally, and in some instances will fix for this # 8220 ; acquire together # 8221 ; . Kim was a victim to this guiltless remark one time, and accordingly she was hurt when the # 8220 ; acquire together # 8221 ; didn # 8217 ; t go on. One incident happened when Ellen had suggested that her and Kim should run into sometime. Kim misinterpreted that believing she meant to see her on that same twenty-four hours. Kim cleaned and tidied the house merely to hold Ellen neer demoing up. Another one of the biggest defect among Asiatic people is their inability to state # 8220 ; no # 8221 ; to other people ; and their extreme willingness to delight. Kim is no exclusion to that statement. Ben defines that a # 8220 ; typical Vietnamese # 8221 ; is # 8220 ; inactive and unassumingly nice # 8221 ; . A good illustration of this happened during the procedure of turn uping Kim a occupation, Ellen had ask Kim to work a unpaid occupation as a babysitter for future mentions. Kim reluctantly agreed, out of regard for Ellen. Ellen finally underst ood this after passing more clip larning about their civilization. Ellen had some misconception on this capable affair because as an American, she was used to directness and talking of your emotions. Minh and Lan were born and raised in Vietnam, merely like Kim and Quang, they both came to America at the same clip, there isn # 8217 ; t much of an age difference, but yet, they hold different positions than them. American influence has taken over their immature heads. They refused to accept free tiffins from school, fearing that they # 8217 ; ll look hapless among their schoolmates, which Ellen appreciates. Ellen compares this to Kim and her uninterrupted petition for nutrient casts. Ellen remarks # 8220 ; at least they have a sense of pride # 8221 ; . Many Americans, particularly in-between category Americans, patronize those on public support a have a low sentiment of them. Minh and Lan likely realized this from go toing school because they are more involved in American society, unlike Kim and Quang. Since Kim and Quang did come from a state like Vietnam where public assistance and nutrient casts are virtually unheard of, they were eager to acquire on the system, concerned that they are losing out when their equals are having them. When Kim and Quang foremost came to America, they learned to appreciate anything they had, such as handed down furniture to a black and white Television set ( even though Kim wanted a colour Television ) . This show of charity had besides given Kim and Quang their first thoughts about the mentality of America. I can conceive of them inquiring, # 8220 ; Why would Americans throw away something that is still in good useable status? # 8221 ; After all, in their state these points were luxuries and merely for the rich. Of class, when Kim and Quang foremost arrived in America they valued these points ( regardless of what Ellen perceives ) . Over clip Kim and Quang # 8217 ; s outlook began to alter bit by bit. Kim and Quang learned to accommodate to American society, particularly after the birth of their first kid, Tommy. They began to go more mercenary, purchasing things out of aesthetics alternatively of necessity. For illustration Quang # 8217 ; s first auto was Ford Mustang, with # 8220 ; extra options # 8221 ; , non a used auto as Ellen and Ben viewed as the wise economical pick. Kim and Quang are good illustrations of the losing nexus between the first coevals of Asians that settled in American and the 2nd coevals of Asians in America. The first coevals of Asiatics are normally are older, they tend to populate life as it was in their place state, following the traditions and civilization. The 2nd coevals are normally younger and be given to accommodate to American society and their civilization. The first coevals of Asians were really much like Kim and Quang when they foremost came to America, they learn to value their material points, save their money and work hard. The 2nd coevals of Asians are really much the antonym, which is what became of Kim and Quang after six old ages of life in America. The 2nd coevals would travel out and purchase chief trade name vesture, unneeded stuff points, socialize and pass money foolishly. I suggested that Kim and Quang are like the losing nexus because they went from being penniless to what has become of them six old ages subsequently, they # 8217 ; ve done it all. They have two houses, two autos, $ 50,000 to take with them to California. In decision, I like to state that I am glad I chosed this book and I am glad I had a opportunity to read it. I feel as if I could sympathize with Kim and Quang through the superior descriptive composing accomplishments of Ellen Matthews. I feel that a batch of Asians in our society are misunderstood and misrepresented. Asians aren # 8217 ; t even considered as minorities in America when it comes to statistic and polls. I can see that bit by bit altering though. The following coevals and the coevals after that will be the runing pot in the Asiatic society. Kim and Quang has set the tone for the way of Asians in America. They have lived the American dream in six old ages, whereas Americans have taken an infinity to accomplish. These alterations are already go oning, I am portion of the thaw pot. All the pupils in our category are portion of this thaw pot. Our parents live their life like Kim and Quang when they foremost came to America. We, the following coevals, live our lives like K im and Quang of present twenty-four hours.