Two Autobiographical Immigrant Experiences: Monica Sone and Kevin Johnson Comparison Essay by scribbler
Two Autobiographical Immigrant Experiences: Monica Sone and Kevin Johnson
A comparative analysis of Monica Sone's "Nisei Daughter" and Kevin Johnson's "How Did You Get to Be Mexican?: A White/Brown Man's Search for Identity".
# 153058
| 769 words
| 0 sources
| 2013
| 
Published
on May 02, 2013
in
Asian Studies
(Asian American)
, Literature
(American)
, Ethnic Studies
(General)
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Description:
The paper relates that both Monica Sone's "Nisei Daughter" and Kevin Johnson's "How Did You Get to Be Mexican?: A White/Brown Man's Search for Identity" discuss the intersection between ethnicity and personal identity. The paper highlights some core similarities between these two autobiographies that are both told from the perspective of biracial individuals navigating between the world of non-European, non-white ancestry, and the world of the dominant culture, but also shows how these accounts differ on some key issues. The paper points out differences in tone and style of the narrative that are related to their divergent genders and cultural backgrounds and specifically notes that Sone's story reveals significantly more personal struggle than Johnson in his work.
From the Paper:
"The facts in Sone's account are simply and straightforwardly presented, detailing what it was like to grow up on the West Coast around the time of the Second World War. The tale of the internment camp is of course far more severe than any of Johnson's personal experiences at law school or in any other context. In fact, Johnson's narrative is written much less from the perspective of someone who had experienced discrimination than it is from the perspective of one who learned how to embrace a bi-racial identity and use it to his advantage. For example, Johnson admits freely the knowledge that being from a Mexican background might have earned him entry into Harvard as a minority under affirmative action policies."Moreover, as a male and someone who may have passed between worlds, Johnson's position is qualitatively different from Sone's. Sone not only experiences discrimination on account of her ethnic heritage but also due to her gender, which constricts roles in the United States as well as in Japanese culture. Furthermore, Sone's tale cannot be read in isolation of the post-World War Two anti-Japanese sentiments in America. Johnson describes racism, but mainly via accounts told to him by his Mexican father."
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APA Format
Two Autobiographical Immigrant Experiences: Monica Sone and Kevin Johnson (2013, May 02)
Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/comparison-essay/two-autobiographical-immigrant-experiences-monica-sone-and-kevin-johnson-153058/
MLA Format
"Two Autobiographical Immigrant Experiences: Monica Sone and Kevin Johnson" 02 May 2013.
Web. 23 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/comparison-essay/two-autobiographical-immigrant-experiences-monica-sone-and-kevin-johnson-153058/>