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Racial Aspect of Multicultural Existence

Multicultural existence is characterized by various aspects, such as race, sexual orientation, religion, language, gender, ethnicity, and disability. People exhibit diverse religious alignments, belong in distinct social backgrounds, have unique economic abilities, and are grouped in different ethnicities. The aforementioned elements play an integral role in separating one culture from another. Besides the highlighted features, government policies have been pivotal in shaping the interaction of various racial, social, economic, and social groups. In “Two Ways to Belong in America,” by Bharati Mukherjee, “Only Daughter,” by Sandra Cisneros, and “Mother Tongue,” by Amy Tan, the racial aspect of multicultural existence is predominant as demonstrated through the lives of the immigrant families captured in the stories. The authors illustrate how multicultural existence splits people from various races without upholding the principle of equality. Government policies are pursuing the divide and rule policies that uplift one race at the expense of others. They are designed to paint some races as superior to others, while subjecting the supposedly inferior races to atrocities and all manner of oppressive activities geared towards undermining them. The evolutionary nature of multiculturalism as it continues to be influenced by international and national policies impacts people’s lives differently.

Divide and rule has been utilized as a central approach of warring various racial groups. The phenomenon encourages the separation of people based on their ethnic groups. It serves the purpose of projecting one group as superior to another. Conventionally, all human beings are expected to uphold equality notwithstanding their race (Nurullin 184). Some governments, such as the united states, pursues the concept of divide and rule to separate individuals into specific groups based on their races to form a divided society instead of a united society that seeks to work together and achieve the same goal. In “Two Ways to Belong in America,” Mukherjee says “Like well-raised sisters, we never said what was really on our minds, but we probably pitied one another. She, for the lack of structure in my life, the erasure of Indianness, the absence of an unvarying daily core. I, for the narrowness of her perspective, her uninvolvement with the mythic depths or the superficial pop culture of this society” (Mukherjee np). Mukherjee confirms that the United States attained the goal of pitting people against each other. Through its policies, the United States ensured that the lives of two sisters that were born and raised together are separated. Even though they are both migrants, they have been forced by circumstances to live two contradictory lifestyles. Mira considers herself more Indian and thinks her sister; Mukherjee is rudderless and directionless because she has abandoned ancestral culture. On the contrary, Mukherjee opines that by distancing herself from the American popular culture, Mira is losing the underlying dynamics of the multifaceted life the United States offers. Mukherjee feels that she is superior because she has embraced the American culture, which is the primary aim pursued by the American policies on immigrants. Whereas some immigrants are made to believe that being an American is a privilege, others are punished for their reluctance to adapt.

Some oppressive norms are used to undermine the self-esteem of minority racial groups. Usually, many societies are characterized by members of a majority and minority population. In most cases, members of the most populous group perceive themselves as superior and treat the members of less populous group unfairly. Members of minority group are often discriminated against in various social, economic, and political platforms, such as in schools (Mishra 19). They find it challenging to push for their ideas because the systematic discrimination is engineered to cut them off. In “Only Daughter,” Cisneros receives insurmountable discrimination because of her race and gender. As the only daughter of an immigrant from Mexico, Cisneros finds it difficult to be accepted in the American society. Despite her level of education, accolades, and vast experience in writing, Cisneros finds it challenging to get employment. Cisneros notes, “Last year, after ten years of writing professionally, the financial rewards started to trickle in. My second National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. A guest professorship at the University of California, Berkeley. My book, which sold to a major New York publishing house” (Cisneros np). It is unfathomable that she had to wait for ten years before she was recognized. Institutionalized racial discrimination plays an integral role in locking her out of multiple opportunities for academicians in the United States. As a Mexican immigrant, her chances of being a successful writer in the United States were slim. Equally, she notes that she fails to get a husband, which is uncommon for a woman of her age. Besides, from the racial discrimination Cisneros endures, she is also exposed to gender discrimination, which comes from her father. She argues that her father always says that he has seven sons instead of six boys and one girl. Even her father does not appreciate her presence as the only girl in the family.

Racial inequity guided by contempt and disrespect of other races propels the theme in “Mother Tongue,” by Amy Tan. The idea or racial supremacy is driven by the notion that one culture is preserved by despising the others. Conventionally, every person belongs in a given race and culture. Thus, it is unwarranted to detest other cultures with a goal of protecting another. Tan uncovers the unfair treatment the Chinese immigrants experienced in the past and how the same experiences continue prevailing in the United States. She uses anecdotes to demonstrate racial discrimination against the Chinese immigrants in the United States due to their accent. Tan writes “I think my mother’s English almost had an effect on limiting my possibilities in life as well. Sociologists and linguists probably will tell you that a person’s developing language skills are more influenced by peers. But I do think that the language spoken in the family, especially in immigrant families which are more insular, plays a large role in shaping the language of the child” (Tan np). She attempts to disengage the relationship between language development and other aspects of life. It is not improper for individuals to have accents. Tan demonstrates how her family has continued to withstand cultural hindrances advanced by the Chines culture. In most cases, immigrants with accent are always belittled and discriminated against in various platforms. Tan encourages people to preserve their culture and appreciate who they are despite the biases and unfair treatment.

Multicultural existence plays a significant role in unearthing the challenges and struggles of people from different cultures, especially when they immigrate to foreign countries. The multicultural aspect examined herein is racial discrimination. All the three short stories; “Two Ways to Belong in America,” by Bharati Mukherjee, “Only Daughter,” by Sandra Cisneros, and “Mother Tongue,” by Amy Tan are vital in providing evidence to support the claims advanced in the paper. In Two Ways to Belong in America,” by Bharati Mukherjee, the concept of divide and rule is extensively articulated. Government policies are used to separate Mukherjee and her sister. Even though they were brought up together, they can no longer understand each other. In “Only Daughter,” by Sandra Cisneros, systematic racial discrimination is pursued and discussed expansively. Racial inequity guided by contempt and disrespect of other races propels the theme in “Mother Tongue,” by Amy Tan.

Works Cited

Cisneros, Sandra. “Only daughter.” Latina: Women’s Voices from the Borderlands (1997): 156-60.

Mishra, Sreelekha, and C. Bharath Kumar. “Understanding diversity: A multicultural perspective.” IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science 19.9 (2014).

Mukherjee, Bharati. “Two ways to belong in America.” Short Essays for Composition (1996): 493.

Nurullin, R. A. “Multicultural existence of humankind in conditions of developing global civilization and acceleration of historical rhythms.” Man in India 97.7 (2017): 179-190.

Tan Amy. “Tongue Mother.” The World is a Text: Writing, Reading, and Thinking about Culture and Its Contexts (2003): 291.

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