Book 1 (2) – American like Me
American like Me reflects on the life of first-generation Americans through personal anecdotes of their struggles with capturing an American identity and connection with their traditional heritages. The reoccurring theme among the stories is the struggle to discover the personal identity and facing the dilemma of not resonating with their true authentic selves. Like countless stories in the book, the author Ferrara’s story is one of the millions in the United States that capture the raw truth of the struggles of being split between two cultures while trying to navigate their way through childhood and adulthood in what seems like an alien world.
America Ferrara is a first-generation Honduran American who has had enormous success as an actress and activist. In her chapter, Ferrara counts her struggles to find her self-identity and connect with her Honduran heritage. Her approach to telling her story highlights the negative aspects of her childhood as a first-generation American, her father leaving her family, and his eventual death. Leading her to try to understand her Honduran lineage, which she knew so little about. She also connects to her experience with that of Harry Potter, claiming that she understood what Harry Potter felt when Harry discovered that he was a wizard, similarly to her discovery of her eventual identity as an American.
Like Ferrara, Carmen Perez is a strong Hispanic woman who struggled with an identity crisis while feeling disconnected from her cultural roots. Throughout her story, Carmen reflects on her bond with her diverse friends, ironically claiming that she found herself more connected to their heritage than her Mexican roots. Claiming that she did not want to associate herself with her roots because of the violence she experienced growing up in a Mexican American community. In addition to the common theme of disconnect, Carmen mentions her sister’s death as a sentimental moment that led her to discover her purpose. Stating, “I am going to change the world, “which she eventually did, using her experience to tell her story and advocating for social justice and reform.
Hi Peter! Great post. I really enjoyed reading this book and especially liked the format of all the stories in it. It really made me think about all the different experiences that come with the American journey.
ReplyDeleteHey Peter, I enjoyed your post. It’s great to hear about different stories of people who were able to connect to their heritage on a deeper level. It’s definitely important for people to understand where they came from and appreciate what makes them who they are!
ReplyDeleteHey Peter. I had a great time reading your post. I really appreciated how you explained the book's purpose because I read a different book. It sounds like this book was super interesting especially because you had so many different points of view.
ReplyDeleteHey Peter,
ReplyDeleteI thought it was really empowering to hear so many popular figures share vulnerable stories with the readers similar to Carmen's story on her sister's death. The impact that these stories have are definitely long lasting.