Research Paper on:
Identity and American Assimilation in My Antonia by Willa Cather and The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
June in Amy Tans "The Joy Luck Club" and Antonia in Willa Cathers "My Antonia" differ a great deal in their process of assimilation into American society. Both women feel  removed from American society based on their ethnic heritage however both women follow different processes in regards to their maturation and acceptance of their dual identities. Tans June feels that  her process of Americanization involves dismissing and pulling away from the Chinese stories, language and the traditions of her mother. It is not until June visits China that she realizes  she is able to grasp both her American and Chinese identities as her own in her life in America. Antonia and her Bohemian community are separated from American society by  their language and ethnic traditions. Antonia however, despite this knowledge of what separates her from American society, nevertheless remains aware of her cultural identity and her language. She too, later  in life, is able to accept her dual identity within American society not only for herself but also for her children with whom she has continued her Bohemian language and  culture. In Amy Tans "The Joy Luck Club", Tan explores the different mother and daughter relationships between four elderly Chinese immigrants and their American raised daughters. In all four cases,  the daughters have difficulty understanding their mothers past lives and their perspectives on their daughters lives. The daughters within the story are trying hard to assimilate to the American way  of life much to the satisfaction yet disappointment of their mothers. While the mothers wish for their daughters to be successful in America and learn the language well, they at  the same time realize that their daughters are losing their ancestral roots and the understanding of the Chinese language. Through the character of June, or Jing-Mei, we see that through