The two essays A-9 and A-14 have a wide range of immigrants’ experiences immigrants during their first days in America. The writer of essay A-9 provides experiences of his father who came to America from India. The father came to America after experiencing a family tragedy where he lost the father. On his journey to US he took his mother, the writer’s grandmother and settled in a place called Statesville in Carolina. Later the mother came to United States after the writer’s father had settled. In contrast, essay A-14 talks of immigrants from China who happened to come and settle to United States. The mother and father of the writer came at different time, met and had their marriage in United States. Her mother arrived and settled in a place called Mattapan through the help of the Uncle, while father who came by boat settled in Boston under care of his Aunt.
In both essays the immigrants had difficulties conversing with people since English was not their first Language. According to essay A-9, the father was an Indian and hence only knew how to speak in Indian and had to learn English in order to communicate with people. In essay A-14, both the mother and the father came from China, where they only knew Chinese Language and only had to learn English slowly in order to communicate with people. At one point, the writer’s mother could understand what people were saying but could not answer back since she had only learnt a little English. Therefore communication was one of the main challenges that the immigrants from the both essays experienced during their early days in America.
The immigrants in both essays came to America and continued with customs and traditions which they used to have in their countries. According to essay A-14, the writer’s mother was brought to America by uncle in her mid-twenties and settled in Mattapan, together with her two older brothers, they opened a small American-Chinese takeout restaurant. Even though they had problems with cooking Chinese food, they tried to keep Chinese traditions even here in the United States. When the writer’s parents married, they brought their parents to United States. Once in United States they brought a number of Chinese culture and traditions with them. In the essay A-9, once in United States the writer’s parents continued with their Indian culture. They did not eat meat and hence continued with their vegetarian way of life. They also observed a number of Indian holidays and traditions although they were not as enjoyable and interesting as they were in India.
The writer of essay A-9, appreciates the fact that growing in America has its up and down and especially when you are an immigrant from another country. The wondered oh how his life would be if his parents had not gotten an opportunity to come to America. He thinks about the food traditions as well as education. He admits that growing up in American in one way or another has had a tremendous effects on his education, holidays, traditions as well as the ways he use to eat. As a result, I tend to believe that the writer wishes he could have a taste of what it is like to live in India. In contrast the writer of essay A-14 and through the experience he had seen it as privilege to be born in America and have the right to live there as opposed to his parents who had to work had in order to earn their rights to be American Citizens. Therefore the writer seems to like being in United States as a Chinese immigrants.
Work cited
Essay A-9
Essay A-14
