CHINESE-AMER. FAMILY IN U.S.   Term Paper ID:26064 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines "typical" families. Traditional vs. modern values, marriage, socioeconomics, relationships, roles, pragmatism, gender, assimilation, education, filial piety.... More...

18 Pages / 4050 Words 16 sources, 30 Citations, APA Format $72.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Examines "typical" families. Traditional vs. modern values, marriage, socioeconomics, relationships, roles, pragmatism, gender, assimilation, education, filial piety. Paper Introduction: THE CHINESE-AMERICAN FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. (1999, February 11). Li Po must still respect his elderly father's wishes(which Hank, his son, sees as weakness) and does not receive the sameadoration and respect from his son. If both citizens andimmigrants do their part, we will grow ever stronger in the new globalinformation economy" (President Bill Clinton, 1998). (1993, November 22). At that point in my life I saw thatbeing Chinese American could be very different; that we were stilldifferent" (Su, 1996, Online). He had the required two-years of English language instruction in theTaiwan school system, and came from a middle class family (Kingston, 1975). 5A. Manuel, R., & Reid, J. To the American, "freedom" often means adopting an attitude of doinganything one wants to do, a freedom of action. Second, all references are to compositesituations. He came to America for a better life, andsettled with his wife in Monterey Park, California. She does not know how to write a check (or even what acheck is) and is terrified when she uses the VISA card for purchases. What I mean is that my views havechanged with time and my situation" (Su, 1996, Online). B. Mei-Win's Role Mei-Win grew up in a very traditional Chinese family in TaiBei,Taiwan. And almost 4 percent of all immigrants to the US now come from Asia, mostly from China, thePhilippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan and India. Marriage Marriage is an extremely important custom to the Chinese-Americanfamily, a topic which has generated much critical comment amonganthropologists and sociologists. *There is a high poverty rate, based on the fact that 33% of Chinese-American children live in a household that receives public assistanceincome. By the very nature of her gender, she learned very traditional roles. The Joy Luck Club, TimeInternational, 54. (1998, December 1). The biggest myth is that there is a "typical" Chinese-Americanfamily. Asian community leaders say white society's reluctance to fullyaccept minorities like Asians stems from an ignorance of other cultures aswell as a fear of anything different. (1988). From their earliest years, Chinese children were surrounded byfamily, educators, and other adults ready to praise or criticize them asthey fulfilled these duties. Lane, L. As Mitchell stated above, however, the path toAmericanization is not simple. (1999). In our "typical" family, the following characters exist: Li-PoChung, father, is 44, and emigrated to American from Taiwan when he was 2 . His mother took night classes in English and got a job as anaccountant for the county. In the United States, American societyprovides a different, less monolithic, environment. Pan, L.P.P. Our physical features make us different" (Gooks made foreigners...,1998, 14). They were mainstream and theyfelt good about it. In China and other East Asian countries, tradition was theelement that kept families together. Olsen, L. * Teach discipline to the children, and create an environment thatreflects Confucian ideals. Asians, In E. The reliance on Confucianism creates many of the difficulties inChinese-American families today. *43% of Asian-American children are born into poverty (Citizen'sCommittee for Children, 1997). Pam did not rebel at first. To gain extra income, he takes a second job, which is a typicalsituation for a Chinese father. (1998, May 19). Palmore (Ed.), Handbook on the Agedin the United States. Mei-Win Chung, his wife, is also from Taiwan, but has never worked.She grew up with the accepted gender role in that country of learningskills of a housewife -- shopping, cleaning, child-rearing. (1986). * Be fertile, and bear many children to propagate the family. For this discussion, some parameters must beestablished. CaseyFoundation). If Li Po were interested, he could compare his $3 per week incomewith the median income of urban Asian American and Pacific Islander men,which in 199 was $9,269, almost $4,5 less than that of urban Anglo-American elderly men. To the Chinese-Americanfather, who relies greatly on strict social structures, freedom of actionis frowned upon as dangerous, and instead concentrate on freedom ofthought. Urban Asian American and Pacific Islander women madean average of $7,742, while urban white American women made an average of$9,827. In these families, older children take care of younger members of thefamily while the parents work. Su begins by explaining that he came to America from Taiwan at age 3with his parents, 2 year old sister, and 3 month old brother. This group points out some rather disturbing statistics.For instance, in America: *Percentage wise, Asian-Americans are twice as likely to be poor asnon-Hispanic whites (199 U.S. His father, who had little command of the language, performed janitorialtype or delivery work until we the family was able to buy a small Chineserestaurant to run. Linfield, S. The Chinese-American is typically described in social researchliterature as the "model minority" -- thrifty, hard-working, industrious,family oriented (Kitano & Daniels, 1988). Summary and Conclusion Many traditional Asian practices and beliefs regarding familyinteraction are based on Confucian philosophy, which asserts the importanceof social order within families and society. In spite of potential difficulties, Asian immigration to the USremains high. Family and clan membership was an essential element in each peasant'sidentity (Willoughby, 1999, 12). Mitchell, E. Whether or not the Confucian values of family unity and power willsurvive is a question that is yet to be answered. Book review: Grim memoir of thecultural revolution, Los Angeles Times, E-5. (1998, June 22). (A separate study should be doneof these web sites, since it appears that no other ethnic groups are sowell represented. *There is little contact with linguistic role models since 1 in 3Asian-American children live in a household where no one over 13 years oldspeaks English well. My grade school best friend was Caucasian, afreckled faced redhead named Kevin Kearny. (1989). Other members of the household are Li Po's brother, Ho Chi, 32, andhis wife and three children. Facingchange, struggling to change, and adapting to change by losing culturalidentity are significant themes in Chinese family problems. In the home, he serves as the unofficial translator forthe family. Loyalty to the family is a long-term commitment andis maintained through a system of obligations that must be repaid by familymembers. She tried to raise Pam in the way he herself was raised,keeping her closely at home. The family resides in a three bedroom apartment on which they pay$76 per month rent. She will fix lunches for Li Po (containersof soup, fresh vegetables and so on) but isn't sure that he eats them. Li Po, however, expects all of the family (with the exception of hiswife) to work. Reasons for generally lower incomes include limited English abilityamong a significant portion of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders,inadequate education, discrimination in hiring and rates of pay, workhistories of low wage jobs, and high unemployment resulting in lower SocialSecurity and private pension plan coverage (Manuel, 1982). It emphasizes an individual's duties, nothis rights, and this principle is carried over into all familyrelationships. Crossing the schoolhouse order: Immigrant studiesand the California Public Schools, California Tomorrow, San Francisco:Josey-Bass. Roles, responsibilities, andstatus in the family are clearly prescribed, and transcend personal desiresor affectional bonds. As a matter offact, Pam did not rebel until the subject of marriage came up. The Chinesehate to be told what to think, although they don't mind being told how toact. When he first came to America, he was acook in his cousin's restaurant, a job he still has. (1982). society, and in doing so, they must pass through hardships ona zigzag road" (Mitchell, 1993). (1988). Chinese community raising funds forinjured man's family. Strong peer and communal support systems are importantresources that Chinese-Americans rely on as they adapt to their lateryears. Change occurred even among thosewho had families. US census officials estimatethat the current Asian-American population of 1 million - two million ofthem Chinese - will swell to 34 million over the next several decades,making up nearly 9 per cent of the total population (Gooks madeforeigners..., 1998, 12). The memoir goes on to describe the family's increased prosperity, andits move to a more affluent Chinese community: "these were different Asiansthan the ones I knew in San Mateo. The success of books like Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club and films likeThe Last Emperor and Seven Years in Tibet have generated awareness ofChinese culture. community leaders say some in the political establishment aswell as the media skillfully play on this fear to stereotype Asians" (Gooksmade foreigners..., 1998, 14). Education A well-known saying by Confucius states that "A man is never trulyeducated until he is at least 9 years old." Confucius is often referredto as the leading Chinese teacher and is even referred to by young andarticulate Chinese students."Being Chinese American has meant different ways of feeling and looking atthings at different stages of my life. Plotting women: Gender and representation inMexico, New York: Columbia UP, 1988. D. We werespat on, thrown rocks, and even had our beat-up old car vandalized" (Su,1996, Online). Su quickly picked up the language, made good grades, and even madesome neighborhood friends. Kitano, H. Rita Felski in BeyondFeminist Aesthetics describes what she sees as the usual trajectory andrelates it to the masculine tradition of the Bildungsroman. Hong KongStandard, 14. It was difficult for us asyoung teenagers to deal with the pressures to conform with our better-offclassmates, while realizing the lengths our parents worked and suffered tosupport us. Also in the family are a maiden aunt, and LiPo's father and mother. First, all references are to first generation Chinese-Americanfamilies, in which both the mother and the father are from China, Taiwan,Hong Kong, or the Pacific Islands. For example, filial piety must be paid to older family membersbecause they gave life to younger members and also because they provide aspecial connection to the spirits of previous generations. Asian Americans, Englewood Cliffs,NJ: Prentice-Hall. But he was still called "Chink" and sneered at. Noted Chinese scholar Kingston,challenges those assumptions and deviates not only from the convention ofethnic autobiography but also from the "bourgeois individualism" of manyfeminist writings of the "marriage" concept. Chinese immigration to America began in the 185 s when Chineseimmigrants sent word from America that the streets were paved with gold inmei guo, Mandarin for "beautiful country." Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club,mentioned earlier, "frames a different picture: the struggle to survive ina bewildering place, specifically the emotional conflict between immigrantwomen who cling to their heritage and their daughters who want to shakefree of the old" (Mitchell, 1993, 54). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. To look the other way: Chinese-American girls confront a cultural tug-of-war, The World & I, 13: 222. Hank Chung, their teenage son who is 15 grew up in Monterey Park, isbi-lingual and wants to be a computer programmer. Whether it will surviveas fact or concept, however, will only be determined by future events. In addition,elders in traditional Asian families were the authority figures, whocontrolled the family's finances and had the final say over decisionsaffecting the lives of younger family members. & Daniels, R. Li Po's Role In determining the role of the father in the Chinese family, aprimary Chinese attitude must be taken into consideration. Based on these statistics, and others presented in the coalition'son-line newsletter, Progress, a more realistic picture of the "typicalChinese family" emerges. References Clinton, B. I knew I was different but seemed not to understandother people's malice. In Taiwan, he worked on the docks as a shipping foreman and earnedapproximately $2 US per month. Census, Social and Economic Characteristics). Hank, the fifteen-year old son could eat pizza three meals a day, andwill grudgingly eat the chau bai tsai (meat-stuffed cabbage) that hismother prepares almost daily. Su, J. That's because at least6 per cent of all Asian-Americans are foreign-born. As if the process of adjustment were not difficult enough, it isfurther complicated by a child's worries and concerns over adultsituations, such as dealing with landlords, the legal system, and medicalproblems. And again, later for fifththrough sixth grade, when I transferred to a school that had a 'talentedyouth' program (ironically I had been in an ESL class only the yearbefore), Matthew Solomon, an upper-middle class Jewish kid, was my bestfriend" (Su, 1996, Online). (1988). Available:http://www.itp.berkeley.edu/~jsu/papers/beingca.html Willoughby, B. The Washington-based Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) pointsout that Asian-Americans, even US-born ones, are seen as perpetualforeigners. Seldom did she even leave the house unless she was accompanied bymen. Often, the entire population of a village was a clan or familygroup. In addition, Americanized children had the example of the dominantsociety and with their upward mobility were often required to relocate foremployment, altering traditional patterns of family support and involvement(Kii,1984). He has already designedseveral programs. Assistance from majority culture institutions (Welfare, SocialSecurity, Government Grants and so on) typically are not used, or areconsidered a viable option, and therefore economic, emotional and socialsupport is sought primarily within ethnic enclaves, or Chinatowns. Immigration also has impacted the structure and roles of the AsianAmerican family. Confucian ethical values about duty were passed on from generation togeneration. This is no simple oreasy task, however. *41% of Asian-American children are born outside of the UnitedStates. "A comparative demographic profile ofthe minority and non-minority aged." In R. *25 percent of Chinese-American children are in families that are ator below the poverty level ($12,672 annual family income) or near poor (25%above the poverty level - $15,843 annual family income) (The Annie E. The importance of thefamily in America was initially based on the same conditions. In the earlydays of the pioneers, Americans totally relied on the family for thetilling of the soil, the cutting of trees, the building of homes and themanagement of family-owned businesses. Mei-Win had problems with her eldest daughter, Pam, who is now awayat college. [online].Available: http://www.cacf.org/cnews.htm Felski, R. The organization points out: "With Asian immigrants continuingto arrive at a rapid rate, bringing with them different cultures, accents,and skin complexions, community leaders concede the 'foreigner' tag is hereto stay for a long time (Gooks made foreigners..., 1998, 14). (1996), On being Chinese-American, [online]. In order, these were: * Provide a good home and comfortable surroundings for the husband. They feel threatened by the growth of the Asianpopulation... The parents' busy workschedules often do not allow them to enforce these values in theirchildren's daily life. Despite the ongoing pressures of assimilation and acculturation,Asian American and Pacific Islander families continue to place greaterimportance on family bonds and filial responsibility than do many otherAmerican ethnic groups. Coalition for American-Chinese Families. The Coalition for Asian-AmericanChildren & Families on its web site (www.cacf.org) presents a differentpicture. Franco, J. Census). Aging in mass society:Myths and realities, Boston: Little, Brown and Co. As will be seen, conflicts soon emerged as children adapted to theindividualistic standards of American society, while parents tried to clingto traditional ways and practices (Hendricks & Hendricks, 1986). THE CHINESE-AMERICAN FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES Introduction President Clinton stated that "new immigrants have a responsibilityto learn, to work, to contribute to America. Readers share their perspective onprayer, The Columbian, 12. Since he knew littleEnglish, he and his wife moved in with a cousin, who had emigrated toAmerican three years before. "Whites are afraid of peopledifferent from them. Hank had to learn that extra role because his older sister, Pam, hadgone off to college, and she had taken on that role for the family, sincethe mother's English was next to basic. Kii, T. Ironically, with no one to interpret their new worldto them, many immigrant children have to translate for their parents, whodo not speak English. Ifshe had her way, she would only deal with Chinese currency, and she findsthe American system of currency confusing. The facts and opinions presented in this analysis suggests that theChinese-American family is undergoing a great transition in structure andconcept (Pan, 1998, 222). (1998, October 1). Li Po is very realistic and practical, is very happy to have a job,and spends his time thinking about ways to give his family what it needs.The Chinese practicality comes from a different source than the American'spracticality. (1984). Beyond feminist aesthetics: Feminist literatureand social change, Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1989. Hendricks, J., & Hendricks, C. Parents and Children The skewed sex ratio in the Chinese and Filipino population disruptedtraditional family life as many men did not marry, and therefore have nooffspring to aid them in their old age. Two philosophiesthat are often called "pragmatic" in their methods of dealing with theworld. For her aged father-in-law, she must be very particular, because hedoesn't like anything "canned" and insists that all vegetables and fruit befresh. Eating Habits Wei-Min is concerned about her diverse family's eating habits, andshe spends much of her day cooking and feeding.She is adept at cooking the typical Chinese meals, which emphasizevegetables, noodles and rice, but has little luck with cooking Americandishes. In addition, they take care of any agedadults in the family. I was fortunate to have had strong parents to remind me thatwe were lucky just to be where we were. *There is a high illiteracy rate (5.3 times higher than that of non-Hispanic whites (199 U.S. As a result of impoverished circumstances and racialdiscrimination, immigrants are often forced to rely heavily upon peer,family and informal communal support systems in times of difficulty. The Chinese must adjust their culture,hopes and dreams, and Confucian ideals about education and behavior toAmerican patterns (Lane, 1998,5A). Those words by John Su, an immigrant, student at Berkeley, introducehis personal web page, one of several thousand of sites devoted to personalconsiderations of being Chinese-American. It has been said that the Chinese respectage as a sign of wisdom, and the thought of an old person going hungry, orbeing homeless, or being sent to a retirement home would be an insult andsign of shame (Hendricks & Hendricks, 1986). They don't like the smell of Mei-Win'scooking, however, and eat out as often as possible. Over the centuries in China, Chinese peasant families were strongunits in which all members joined in the work of planting, raising andharvesting. Throughout Chinese history, the Chinese have shown respect forage, seniority, rank, maleness and family background. *There is an alarmingly high suicide rate, since Asian-Americans(Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese) have the highest suicide mortality rateamong all women between 15-24 years of age (Center for Disease Control andPrevention). The Arlington Morning News. In addition, ethnic-specific service centers such as On Lok in San Francisco developed to servethe needs of the elderly who were concentrated in these enclaves. Respect and the obedience of a child to parents areunquestionable tenets.Mei-Win has little desire to learn or use the English language, andpatterns her life around all things Chinese. Children must be submissive and the strongest virtue isfilial piety. AlsoI grew up speaking Mandarin and I even have vague recollections of speakingTaiwanese" (Su, 1996, Online). Commencement address at Portland StateUniversity in Portland, Oregon, Transcript, Weekly Compilation ofPresidential Documents, 34: 112 . Mei-Win is most concerned about her husband's eating habits. To the extent that Americanized family members no longer abide byprescribed roles, duties, and responsibilities, elderly members are apt tohave less control over family financial resources and decision-making,sometimes experiencing the shame of becoming dependent upon children andgrandchildren for support and for negotiations with an unfamiliarenvironment. Once again, we were poorer. That is, we shall establish a "typical" first generationChinese family, and deal with them on a personal nature. As Mitchell notes: "Overseas Chinese are trying tolive in U.S. The Chinese, in their philosophy and belief, place a great deal ofemphasis on a person acting in a "reasonable" manner. (1999, April 4). This job pays him $3 per week. Almost all Chinese traditions and daily thought are derived from thewritings of Confucius and the teachings of the Buddha. *In New York, 1 in 3 Asian-American students in the Class of '95failed to graduate on time (NYC Board of Education 4-year LongitudinalReport, 1995). "True Americans are still seen as having blond hair and blueeyes. There, most social relationships developed and cultural institutionssuch as community-specific churches flourished. Manuel (Ed.), Minority Aging.Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. This means that she must shop daily, or at least every other day,to procure this produce. Chinese-American families are faced with conflict between thesetraditional Asian values and the popular culture of the United States,which tends to value independence, autonomy, and youth (Linfield, 1999,E5). In herfamily, when she was growing up, the whole family ate together for eachmeal. Many Asian immigrants left their home countries in theiryouth and came to the U.S., often sending money to support their parents;but, as their parents were not present, they could not model traditionalfilial behavior for their American-born children. "During myupbringing I was reminded constantly of my heritage, not directly but bymentions of my relatives in Taiwan or the political situations there. That is part of his cultural heritage left over fromTaiwan. A "reasonablemanner" was one in which problems were thought about, and reflected upon ina solitary manner. Since the 197 s, increased Chinese immigration from HongKong, Taiwan, China, and Southeast Asia have created active and vital"Chinatowns" in many American cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston,New York, Houston, and even Madison, Wisconsin). Mei-Win's kitchen has a microwave oven, but she doesn't use it.However, Li Po's younger brother and his wife use it regularly, since theyrely mostly on frozen foods. Therefore, the collective (group-oriented) nature of Chinese values is largely the product of thousands ofyears of living and working together on the land. Franco argues that the study of genderedsubjects - such as traditional Chinese women -- who exist in the peripheryand "off center" forces us to alter hierarchical thinking and "challengesthe often unexamined assumptions that yoke feminism with bourgeoisindividualism" (Franco, 1988, xi). That no longer happens. Not only did they not have any hint ofan accent, but they were wealthy as well. The traditional organization of Chinese society was built on lines ofcommand. Life was not easy at first, since the family was poor, and thechildren suffered: "my siblings and I were routinely made fun of becauseof how we dressed (we were poorer and did not have the luxury of beingfashionable), our language (English was new), and our success. TheseChinatowns often were the onlyenvironment where the monolingual immigrant could function independently. 'Gooks' made foreigners in their own land. Li Po fits those patterns. "But as a child I was, by definition it seems,innocent and naive. However, since theChinese family structure has survived many threats in its 7, -yearhistory, it can be assumed that it will survive. She shops in Chinese markets,attends Chinese social meetings, reads Chinese newspapers and watches onlyChinese television. The change is both pragmatic and emotional, andone in which all members of the family are facing great change. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.