In the Ted Talk, “What's missing from the American immigrant narrative” Elizabeth Gutierrez discusses the fallacies in narratives that idealize and simplify the immigrant experience while recounting her own journey of finding opportunity and security in the US. She also shares her hard-earned knowledge on how to best support individuals in our community. At one point in her speech she compares immigrants to airline safety guidelines, “ What airlines don't tell you is that putting your oxygen mask on first while seeing those around you struggle -- it takes a lot of courage. But being able to have that self-control is sometimes the only way that we are able to help those around us.” (Gutierrez)
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim is a novel that depicts a migrant Asian family in which the mother is struggling with a debilitating mental illness. Anna Chiu must juggle taking care of her siblings and helping out at her father's restaurant, while her mother remains bedridden. Anna struggles fitting in a being a “normal teen” so when she meets Rory, her fathers new delivery boy, she uses him as a distraction from everything happening at home. But when her mother eventually emerges from bed, their situation takes a turn for the worse. After getting out of bed, Anna's mother starts acting erratically, which strains her connection with both Aanna’s father and sister. Anna must step in to give her mother the assistance she needs. At one point in the story, Anna’s sister points out how she’s similar to their mother, “Lily says nothing as she heads to bed. But then she looks at me and says, ‘You sound just like Ma,’ before switching off the lights and plunging us into darkness. I’m left frozen by her words. I was wrong. Because as it turns out, that’s the ultimate diss in our family.” (Chim 99) In both the book and the Ted Talk young adults are taking on huge responsibilities for their parents.
What level of responsibility should young immigrants take on for their family members? Does it make sense for young immigrants (who have an easier time assimilating) to take on more of the burden than the adults?
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