Clay Walls essays

Clay Walls essays Some say that the United States is a salad bowl of race. People from all corners of the world have and will come to the United States, searching for freedom and opportunities. However, not only the good aspects of American life, but also the large, thick  gwalls h which are the stern realities full of hardships welcome the immigrants. Koreans are no exception. Kim Ronyoung describes a Korean immigrant family in her novel, Clay Walls. Haesu, the protagonist of the novel, face numerous  gwalls h while living in Los Angeles during the early 1900s. Integrating into the American culture is more difficult when there are significant  gwalls h that immigrants must overcome. Characters in the novel have to experience and surmount cultural, language, and immigration barriers to live in the United States. Immigrants entering in the American society come face to face with many barriers, due to the difference between American culture and their home country fs culture, that affect and change their values. The most notable  gwalls h is built between Haesu and her children, Harold, John and Faye. Her children are all born and brought up in the United States whereas Haesu is born and brought up the Korean traditional mindset. While Haesu desires her children to be  gKoreans h like she is, John and Faye are already well Americanized. For example, they show little respect to Haesu. Under Confucianism, Koreans respect their elders, following when and whatever they say. However, John and Faye talk back easily to their mother, which Haesu have never done before in Korea to her mother. John asks her  gwhy not (70)? h when Haesu  gorder[s] (70) h him to stop saying  gbitchin f. h Faye even  gdeclare[s] (62) h that she does not  gwant [Hae su] to curl [her] hair (62) h when Haesu is preparing Faye to go on board the ship. Not understanding the Americanized children, Haesu is confused with their rebellious attit...