Multicultural Literature in the United States Today
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The Bureau of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State publishes a monthly electronic journal under the eJournal USA logo. These journals U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE / FEBRuaRY 2009 examine major issues facing the United States and the VOLUME 14 / NUMBER 2 international community, as well as U.S. society, values, http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa.html thought, and institutions. International Information Programs: One new journal is published monthly in English and is Coordinator Jeremy F. Curtin followed by versions in French, Portuguese, Russian, and Executive Editor Jonathan Margolis Spanish. Selected editions also appear in Arabic, Chinese, and Persian. Each journal is catalogued by volume and Creative Director George Clack number. Editor-in-Chief Richard W. Huckaby Managing Editor Lea Terhune The opinions expressed in the journals do not necessarily Production Manager Chris Larson reflect the views or policies of the U.S. government. The Assistant Production Manager Sylvia Scott U.S. Department of State assumes no responsibility for Web Producer Janine Perry the content and continued accessibility of Internet sites to which the journals link; such responsibility resides Copy Editor Rosalie Targonski solely with the publishers of those sites. Journal articles, Photo Editor Ann Monroe Jacobs photographs, and illustrations may be reproduced and Cover Design Timothy Brown translated outside the United States unless they carry Cover Illustration Phillip Hua explicit copyright restrictions, in which case permission Reference Specialist Martin Manning must be sought from the copyright holders noted in the journal. The Bureau of International Information Programs maintains current and back issues in several electronic 4 formats at http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa. 3 html. Comments are welcome at your local U.S. Embassy 5 Front Cover: A few of the contribu- or at the editorial offices: 6 tors to our journal: 1) Susan Power; 2) 2 Jennifer 8. Lee; 3) Gerald Early; 4) the 1 7 late Agha Shahid Ali; 5) Diana Abu- Editor, eJournal USA Jaber; 6) Tayari Jones; and 7) Ha Jin. IIP/PUBJ U.S. Department of State 301 4th Street, SW Cover artist Phillip Hua is an American-born Vietnamese visual artist who lives and Washington, DC 20547 works in San Francisco. United States of America Photo credits: Agha Shahid Ali, courtesy David H. Bain, Middlebury College, E-mail: [email protected] Middlebury, Vermont; Diana Abu-Jaber © AP Images/Greg Wahl-Stephens; Tayari Jones, courtesy Lillian Bertram; Ha Jin © AP Images/Vincent Yu; Courtesy Susan Power; Jennifer 8. Lee, photo by Nina Subin, courtesy Twelve Publishing; Gerald Early, courtesy Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. eJOURNAL USA About This Issue or 500 years, immigrants from diverse cultures have Gerald Early — writing on “What Is African- sought freedom and opportunity in what is now American Literature?” — taps hundreds of years of Fthe United States of America. The writers among creativity that evolved through slavery and the civil rights them recorded their experiences in letters, journals, poems, movement to the current, popular Hip-Hop Fiction. and books, from early colonial days to the present. “We Early argues that “urban literature has democratized and are a nation of many voices,” writes Marie Arana in her broadened the reach and content of African-American essay, and that is what this eJournal USA on multicultural literature.” African-American writers Tayari Jones and writing is about: to show how voices from various ethnic Randall Kenan call on their firm roots in the American backgrounds have enriched American society through art South for the special regional flavor in their work. and cultural sharing that invites understanding. Akhil Sharma writes of how his bicultural life and Newcomers may Ernest Hemingway write of loneliness, like helped shape his the anonymous Chinese writing. “Because immigrant to the “land this wave of Asian of the Flowery Flag” immigrants has created who scratched a wistful AP Photo Images © curiosity within poem on a barracks American society as to wall at the Angel Island what exactly it is like Immigration Station to be in Asian families, near San Francisco, in I have been lucky to the early 20th century: have had my books The west wind ruffles read,” he writes. Persis my thin gauze clothing. Karim and Diana Abu- On the hill sits a tall Jaber, half Iranian and building with a room of half Arab, respectively, wooden planks. recall coming to terms I wish I could travel with two cultures in on a cloud far away, their own families, reunite with my wife and Tim Brown Photo illustration by while Jennifer 8. Lee son. describes American Challenges are inevitable as immigrants adjust to life assimilation of cultures as a story wrapped in a fortune in a new country, with a new language, and as their new cookie. These and other contributors write about the ways neighbors become acquainted with them. The articles in they belong to America while they retain the uniqueness of this journal examine that process of mutual assimilation their original heritages. and the interactions that broaden perspectives, regardless More than ever, Americans want to participate of ethnic heritage. in the multicultural experience, whether it is through Ha Jin, Immaculée Ilibagiza, and Lara Vapnyar are appreciation of music or art or sampling ethnic food — relatively new immigrants who choose English — their and along the way forming friendships with the Arab, second language — in which to write about their mother Korean, or Guatemalan restaurateur. Often they simply countries and the country that is their new home. immerse themselves in vibrant cultures depicted between Ofelia Zepeda and Susan Power, descendants of the covers of a book. indigenous American nations – the original inhabitants of the Americas — draw on ancient traditions of their tribes. — The Editors eJOURNAL USA 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE / FEBRuaRY 2009/ VOLUME 14 / NUMBER 2 http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournals.html Multicultural Literature in the United States Today OVERVIEW INDIGEN O US AMERIC A NS 4 We Are a Nation of Many Voices 21 Writing to Bridge the Mixed-Blood Marie Arana Divide: An American Indian Perspective Diversity in the United States has created a fresh, Susan Power dynamic literature with new kinds of American A young girl comes to terms with her Dakota Sioux stories. and Anglo heritage with the help of stories spun by her American Indian mother. AFRIC A N AMERIC A NS 24 Simple Memories as Poems 7 Literature at the Crossroads Ofelia Zepeda Tayari Jones Poet Zepeda finds inspiration for her work in The crossroads is a sacred space where the specific childhood memories, events, and her native Tohono and the universal meet and where African-American O’odham language. writing happily exists beside the transcendent, universal nature of art. 25 Pulling Down the Clouds Ofelia Zepeda 10 Ghost Dog: Or, How I Wrote my First Novel 26 The Toughest Indian in the World Randall Kenan Sherman Alexie North Carolina ambience and wisps of old legends Life on the Indian reservation and the relationship infuse the work of this native son. between father and son are the themes of these vignettes. 14 Rwanda to America: Writing as Transformation 28 Teaching the Art of Being Human: Immaculée Ilibagiza Ancient Indigenous Storytelling Thrives Writing helped this survivor of the 1994 Rwandan Interviews by Lea Terhune genocide come to terms with her horrific experience The ancient art of storytelling still thrives in and loss while allowing her to fulfill a mission of American Indian communities today. Two forgiveness. practitioners tell how stories teach basic lessons of morality and humaneness. 17 What Is African-American Literature? Gerald Early 31 Sidebar: Blackfeet Troubadour Sings Urban or Hip-Hop Fiction may signal a new Traditions maturity and broadening of African-American A Storyteller Jack Gladstone talks about his heritage. writing. eJOURNAL USA 2 EA ST ASI A N AMERIC A NS 46 Writing from a Complex Ethnic Perspective 32 American Fortune Cookie Persis Karim Jennifer 8. Lee This Californian daughter of an Iranian father and The fortune cookie, believed by most Americans to French mother became fascinated by her Persian have come from China, in fact, did nothing of the heritage, and exploring the nuances of her complex sort. ethnic background became her mission. 34 Finding Allies in Books 49 One Indian Writer’s Experience Bich Minh Nguyen Akhil Sharma Icons of literature helped this young Vietnamese Immigration, South Asian culture, luck, and Ernest immigrant learn about American culture and Hemingway are all milestones on the path of this ultimately led her to becoming a writer. Indian-American writer. 35 The Language of Betrayal 51 Influences on My Work Ha Jin Tamim Ansary Writing in a second, very different, language is both Afghan poetry traditions, legends, and old illustrated a challenge and a statement — and a way to pursue books primed the imagination of Afghan-American one’s vision. writer Tamim Ansary. LA TIN O AMERIC A NS 53 The Dacca Gauzes Agha Shahid Ali 37 New Immigrant Tales: Junot Díaz and The late, influential Indian-American poet Agha Afro-Latino Fiction Shahid Ali drew from his Kashmiri heritage, Urdu Glenda Carpio poetry, and his life in America for inspiration for his The writer of Junot Díaz breaks new ground by works. easily moving between Afro-Latino ethnicities and his American identity formed in urban New Jersey. RUSSI A N AMERIC A NS 39 An Interview with Junot Díaz 54 Sixty-Nine Cents The writer speaks about growing up Dominican Gary Shteyngart American. A trip to Disneyland for a family of Russian immigrants becomes a generational tug-of-war 41 Lost City Radio between Old and New World food cultures, at least Daniel Alarcón in the mind of the young protagonist of this short The scene is set for turbulence in a sleepy, fictional story.