The seemingly simple sentence, “I was seven when
I came to America, old enough to remember, young enough to change” in the story
“Close to the Bone" has profound significance (165). This quote speaks to the
plight of the Vietnamese diaspora and encompasses the challenges of identity,
homeland, and assimilation, which plague those who are exiled. The emotional
effects caused by exile can vary by circumstance, but is often linked to age as evident in the lives of
David, Ethan, and his parents. Those that are older when exiled often
battle with a torn identity. Their roots and culture are transplanted onto new
soil and only time can tell whether it will bear fruit. Those that are older when forced to migrate have a
greater attachment to the life they lived, and the longing for their homeland engulfs
literature with their stories of transition. For those that are younger, the
ties felt are relegated to their parents, but assimilation often comes much
easier as their new experiences enforce their sense of belonging in the new world. Being able to change and adapt to a new way of life while still
honoring the past is easier for the younger generations where the memories and
roots are not as strong and developed. The discrepancy between age and
assimilation is interesting to observe throughout Lam’s collection of short
stories, especially in “Close to the bone”. The generation gaps and familial
tensions it raises reflect the challenges of exile.
By David T.
Age does indeed play an important role in the act of assimilation of a refugee, in comparison to an immigrant who voluntarily migrates to a new country. Older refugees tend to have an inner resistance to assimilate with their new 'home' country, whereas younger refugees assimilate a lot easier. That especially shows in the acquisition of the English language. Most of the older characters in Lam's stories do not speak perfect English, but almost all of the younger characters speak it fluently. Of course, age does play a significant role here again as it is much harder to learn a new language in contrast to when someone is younger.
ReplyDelete- Storai K.
David, this was an interesting post. There is a gap between the generation that only seems to further disconnect when younger generations try to find their place in the new culture via the culture, language, food etc. The aquireing of another language is hard, but is much harder for older people since their brains do not always make the same connections, and the connections are made at a much slower place. Often, older generations stagnate in their native culture, and they simply cannot assimilate the way younger people can. Nearly all of Lam's characters have difficulties with the English language, but those who are able to learn it, are younger.
ReplyDelete-Kristen P.
The correlation between both age and assimilation is an interesting point, which describes the alternating effects between the both. Those who are exiled older, are not feeling a torn identity yet have a hard time adapting their identity to a new environment. For example, Ethan’s father or Mr. Le, whose morals and ideals have not changed yet they are put under pressure in order to adapt to a different environment. Their children are the ones with the torn identity; they are forced to side with their parent’s ideals native to Vietnam, or their new life in America. This split in identity is evident in Tammy as well, as she starts using drugs yet she is very protective over who enters her family. She demonstrates to be assimilated and does things against their culture, yet this does not stop her from being protective. The 1.5 generation struggles with a torn identity.
ReplyDelete--Alfredo R.
That line stood out to me as well when I first read "Close to the Bone," and I really liked it. The idea that the elder generation refuses to, or is unable to change is a sort of sad yet often true fact. The newborns, infants, and even toddlers have little to no memory of their former home, so they have nothing to acclimate to. It is that younger 1.5 generation which really seems to have some issues with their transition. It seems that it isn't just that they are old enough to remember their home country, but they remember what it was like to live there and follow a set of rules which suddenly seem to change upon emigration. Ethan is old enough to remember how to be a "dutiful Vietnamese son," as he puts it, but is old enough to want to embrace the life he wants to live (as a homosexual), and of course it causes conflict trying to play both parts.
ReplyDelete- John G.
As a nature-lover, I definitely dig (heh) your allusion to planting. Visualizing one's culture as "roots" is easy enough to do when one feels properly linked to his or her heritage, but imagining those very roots being "transplanted" and ripped away is nothing short of disturbing. The phrase "torn identity" often comes to mind when reading Lam's stories, so the conceptualization of an identity as a tree--a living, breathing organism--works well.
ReplyDeleteI would argue that assimilation becomes just as difficult for younger generations as for older generations, mainly for the reason that younger refugees struggle with both their parents' misgivings about the new country and the individual loss of their sapling identities from the homeland. The age of a tree that is transplanted, though definitely a factor in the overall success of the transplant, does not erase the actual change. Though the "memories and roots" of refugee children may not be as "strong and developed" as those of their parents, society has a way of keeping memories alive and roots refreshed. Consider the insight of this character from Lam's story, "Sister": "Vietnam exists, Sis, that house exists...Vietnam didn't roll up like a scroll to be stored in some dark attic. It's just gone on without us" (116).
--Sandra H.