GUAIA ESSAY
‘The writers in Growing up Asian in Australia show embracing multiple cultural identities is a challenging and also enriching personal journey.’
In the early stages of growing up, multiculturalism exhibits the fundamental factor of identity and belonging. Growing up Asian in Australia edited by Alice Pung, displays the challenges in which the writers endeavour through difficult situations during their personal journey. One’s identity is developed and influenced by the groups one belongs to. Living between two different cultures can enforce changes within their lives. However, belonging to a group may cause sacrifices to selfhood, loss of self-esteem, and value. Not only choosing how to belong to a group, your identity will stay with you forever, it is what makes up you, your own individual belief.
Living on the verge of two different cultures can envelop in lost identities. Michelle Law is a girl who is torn between two different identities, a prevalent theme that coexists in the many stories of Growing up Asian in Australia. During Michelle’s early stages, she has stumbled upon many conflicts for her and her family to overcome. In Australia, she was teased about her appearance, her hand-me-down, hairless arms, oversized clothing, and her peculiar lunch. “Now that I thought about it, everything up to that point in my life seemed so incredibly abnormal compared to everyone else I knew.” She is appointed with the feeling of anxiety, she wanted to be normal. Michelle confesses to her mum she simply wants to be ‘normal’. Yet we are all the same, looking for a group to fit in and be normal, not be ashamed of your own culture and heritage. Thus, being portrayed as the outsider to the Australian Culture can impact to adjust their way of life just to fit in.
Growing up as an Asian or any other race is very difficult, due to sacrifices made to leave behind parts of your identity. People which strive to belong to a certain group, often reforming their values to the
In the early stages of growing up, multiculturalism exhibits the fundamental factor of identity and belonging. Growing up Asian in Australia edited by Alice Pung, displays the challenges in which the writers endeavour through difficult situations during their personal journey. One’s identity is developed and influenced by the groups one belongs to. Living between two different cultures can enforce changes within their lives. However, belonging to a group may cause sacrifices to selfhood, loss of self-esteem, and value. Not only choosing how to belong to a group, your identity will stay with you forever, it is what makes up you, your own individual belief.
Living on the verge of two different cultures can envelop in lost identities. Michelle Law is a girl who is torn between two different identities, a prevalent theme that coexists in the many stories of Growing up Asian in Australia. During Michelle’s early stages, she has stumbled upon many conflicts for her and her family to overcome. In Australia, she was teased about her appearance, her hand-me-down, hairless arms, oversized clothing, and her peculiar lunch. “Now that I thought about it, everything up to that point in my life seemed so incredibly abnormal compared to everyone else I knew.” She is appointed with the feeling of anxiety, she wanted to be normal. Michelle confesses to her mum she simply wants to be ‘normal’. Yet we are all the same, looking for a group to fit in and be normal, not be ashamed of your own culture and heritage. Thus, being portrayed as the outsider to the Australian Culture can impact to adjust their way of life just to fit in.
Growing up as an Asian or any other race is very difficult, due to sacrifices made to leave behind parts of your identity. People which strive to belong to a certain group, often reforming their values to the