Part 2: A Different Mirror [Chapter 1]
Rather than an unfolding, sanitized look at America’s historical past leading to its present in terms of ethnic diversity, Takaki takes the reader on a mini lecture-tour across time. In the chapter discussion he re-routes the audience to consider that the ideals and decisions of the U.S. forefathers (i.e. Thomas Jefferson) held the initial power and responsibility to establish the tone, power structure and belief of what evolved to become ‘American’ culture. Takaki agrees that the “narrow” focus “widely shared” is a generally accepted sense that an ‘American’ is a so-called designated ‘white’ person having descended from an Anglo Europe. The ...
