Readings this week looked at the immigration of Chinese history through multiple first-hand account experiences through poems. Angel island we are mini Chinese immigrants were detained upon arrival to America. During this time America has very xenophobic rhetoric that made it difficult for Chinese immigrants to successfully immigrate into America. These poems allowed us to look at some of the unfair treatment and some of the emotions that Chinese immigrants were subjected to that other immigrants were not. There were a lot of mixed reactions many people were searching for their American dream they took a big risk leaving their country to come to America somewhere unknown and widely unaccepting of Chinese immigrants. Many Chinese immigrants saw America as a beacon of hope and inspiration for freedom so they could find the American dream. During this time China was having many problems and people wanted something new so they would risk giving up their former lives just an opportunity to try to make it in America. The biggest fear for many Chinese immigrants at the time was having to return home without given a fair chance at life.
One thought on “Sept25th Kyree Ford”
The suffering of the people on angle island must have been quite the culture shock to the people fleeing the troubles in china at the time. I also found the context of the poems to be interesting, they do speak to the idealist america vs the reality. Also what the American dream was at the time and how it was so often not real for thousands of immigrant to America.