Hyphenated Americans’ Experiences in Multicultural Interactions Portrayed in American Fictions

Abstract

American society cannot be detached from the society’s multiculturalism. The various ethnic groups inevitably may lead into cooperations, frictions, or conflicts in their interaction. Fiction, as one of literary works, is one of the ways in picturing its reality. Most of hyphenated-American writers wrote both their experiences and imagination through fictions which mostly are about those of racial-based. Some fictions such as Sui Sin Far’s In the Land of the Free, Bienvenido Santos’ Immigration Blues, Anzia Yezierska’s Soap and Water depict the unfavorable experiences in their first interaction in America. While, Monfoon Leong’s New Year for Fong Wing and Gish Jen’s In the American Society elaborate the inter-race interaction and their confusion in blending their identity in the new land. It is found that though they can stand living in a multicultural society, most hyphenated Americans still face situation where sometimes they are still regarded as the subordinated class and it leads into fear and uncomfortable life. Racism is still big issue in American life even though it has long been declared that all men are created equal. In the interaction process some of them still had a tight tie to their origins, while others could easily conform to the American culture. Key words : hyphenated-American, ethnic group, multiculturalism, racism.