Eventually, Kian is inspired by Maricela to share his own stories with the class. However, Kian’s cultural sensitivity leads him into making comparisons between his abstract stories from home and the far more tangible, but no more valid, physical manifestations of Maricela’s household culture which she imports into the classroom. Although Kian identifies with Maricela, as a kindergarten-age child, he does not yet understand how vastly the experiences of first-generation immigrants and their second-generation children differ. Kian may recognize that he is tied to the common history of his Ugandan and Chinese ancestors through his parents and their stories, but he feels more removed from this history when compared against Maricela’s first-generation immigrant experience. Because Kian feels that Maricela’s cultural demonstrations are more legitimate, he begins to question the validity of his own experiences. In having such doubts, Kian’s sense of ownership over his cultural identity is…show more content… As the songs are elements of Kian’s bond with his mother that are distinct from the stories she tells, Kian’s mother avoids broaching the sensitive topic of Kian’s multiculturalism until after she establishes feelings of security and trust within him. Through this process, Kian is reminded of the love that he has for his family and longs once more to hear the stories which previously gave him a sense of belonging to his family history. In response, Kian’s mother judiciously shares a story of her own which illustrates that familial bonds can not only be upheld by abstractions such as promises, but that the symbolism behind such abstractions can transcend generations. It is here that Kian’s mother asserts his unquestionable place within his family and culture by emphatically declaring that “It [Kian’s name] shows that you belong to them, and that they belong to
