The American Spirit in the Writings of Americans of Foreign Birth
General
The American Spirit in the Writings of Americans of Foreign Birth
American literature; Americanization; Noncitizens -- United States
Take, for example, the matter of language. The Swede or the Spaniard
may not object to being forced by law to learn English, because in his
mother country this question never arose, it did not enter into his
daily life. It is different with the Slovak or the Pole, whose soul was
stirred to its very depths because the Magyar or the Prussian wanted
by law to force a strange tongue on him. It was a tradition with him
to resist such an attempt; he looked upon it as an oppression in his
mother country, and he is likely to look upon it in the same light
here. The conditions in Europe and here may be different; he may be
justified in objecting there and not here; but his mind is habituated
to opposing the ruling powers in their efforts to force upon him a
strange language. A common workingman is not used to psychological
self-analysis or to studying archæology; he is controlled mainly by his
impulses. He will note only that he is required to submit here to laws
which he considered oppressive and tyrannical in the old country.
The glories and advantages of this country should not be fed to the
immigrant in excessive doses, but presented tactfully. He is liable
to look upon it as an attempt to humiliate him, as unwarranted
boasting. It is not difficult to pick flaws in the armor of American
complacency. Every man is a hero-worshipper at heart, and every man
has his childhood heroes to whom he clings. Judged by an absolute
standard, if there is such a standard, the American heroes may stand
on a higher plane; but if rude hands are placed upon the childhood
heroes of the alien he is likely to resent it. The skies are just as
blue, the fields are carpeted just as beautifully with flowers and the
nights are illuminated with the same glorious stars on the Eastern as
on the Western Hemisphere. The majority of the aliens enjoyed more of
these beauties at home than they do in the mines and smoke-infested
atmosphere of the industrial American cities. It is true that they earn
more money here in dollars and cents; but they work harder for it and
sometimes under the most cruel taskmasters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account