Amy Tan's A Pair Of Tickets
The Culture Snatcher:
The Extensive Lengths to Which Ethnic Americans Go to Avoid Being “The Other” In “A Pair of Tickets,” author Amy Tan exposes the disastrous effects of Americanization on a foreign culture. Tan’s exposition lies in the protagonist, Jing-Mei, a young Chinese woman raised in America, refusing to adopt her Chinese Heritage. Tan uses the prevalence of stereotypes and internal conflict to present her theme effectively. As the protagonist and narrator, Jing-Mei and her father begin their train ride through China, the author establishes both the physical and symbolic setting of the story. Much of what influenced Jing-Mei’s self-identity was her environment, and comfort, since Jing-Mei was exposed to the American life-style more thoroughly than her Chinese ancestry. Amy …show more content…
This abandonment of one’s heritage begs the argument over what aspect of American culture appeals to someone over their own native culture. Perhaps it is the extravagant rich lives, the sunny beaches, the overworked promise of fame and freedom, no matter, for Jing-Mei, it was the familiarity with all things American. Even as her parents were raising Mei in a traditional Chinese household, she refused to believe that she “had any Chinese whatsoever below (her) skin” (1). This stemmed from Jing-Mei’s major environment, outside of her parent’s grasp. Having predominately Caucasian friends and authority figures cause Jing-Mei to become comfortable with what she believed was right based on normative social influences, or influences resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval. Amy Tan is writing Jing-Mei’s story to expose the death of native culture to the popularized America and the effects of that, for many including our protagonist, is utter confusion as to where one’s true identity
The Extensive Lengths to Which Ethnic Americans Go to Avoid Being “The Other” In “A Pair of Tickets,” author Amy Tan exposes the disastrous effects of Americanization on a foreign culture. Tan’s exposition lies in the protagonist, Jing-Mei, a young Chinese woman raised in America, refusing to adopt her Chinese Heritage. Tan uses the prevalence of stereotypes and internal conflict to present her theme effectively. As the protagonist and narrator, Jing-Mei and her father begin their train ride through China, the author establishes both the physical and symbolic setting of the story. Much of what influenced Jing-Mei’s self-identity was her environment, and comfort, since Jing-Mei was exposed to the American life-style more thoroughly than her Chinese ancestry. Amy …show more content…
This abandonment of one’s heritage begs the argument over what aspect of American culture appeals to someone over their own native culture. Perhaps it is the extravagant rich lives, the sunny beaches, the overworked promise of fame and freedom, no matter, for Jing-Mei, it was the familiarity with all things American. Even as her parents were raising Mei in a traditional Chinese household, she refused to believe that she “had any Chinese whatsoever below (her) skin” (1). This stemmed from Jing-Mei’s major environment, outside of her parent’s grasp. Having predominately Caucasian friends and authority figures cause Jing-Mei to become comfortable with what she believed was right based on normative social influences, or influences resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid disapproval. Amy Tan is writing Jing-Mei’s story to expose the death of native culture to the popularized America and the effects of that, for many including our protagonist, is utter confusion as to where one’s true identity