Growing Up Asian In America Essay

Words: 504
Pages: 3

“Hypocrisy is the mother of all evil and racial prejudice is still her favourite child.” What Don King meant, famous boxing promoter, was that even though the world is constantly changing, racial prejudice is still a common factor in society. In the story “Growing Up Asian in America” by Kesaya E. Noda, Noda realises that she is in peril because she cannot find a sense of belonging; ultimately, Noda through reflection, realises that she is racially Japanese, Japanese American, and a Japanese-American woman. In lines 65-70, Noda gives a short story about a young man who sings at a cultural festival filled with shinto priests. However, what Noda is really trying to infuse in the reader is a sense of balance. In the passage, she describes how the young man has a voice that neither goes above or below pitch; this shows semblance to how she is neither just Japanese or American. Another segment of Noda’s essay that emphasizes her main idea can be seen in lines 121-129. In this portion she gives the story of barren land which her and her family had to establish a system that would help the land conform to growth. More importantly, I feel this section also ties into transcendentalism. Much like the first piece of text I referenced, Noda reinstates this topic of balance; …show more content…
Despite society’s view on women, Noda tells us the story of her traditional grandmother. She eventually reached an age in which her family could no longer leave her on her own, due to this, her family issued her movement into a nursing home. However, the most moving moment is when Noda’s mother polishes her mother’s shoes. This is the moment when Noda finally recognizes her mother’s respect for her mother. Noda’s grandmother, though she was always compliant to rule, was a very strong and motivated; she always brought balance to their family despite society’s repugnant