Identity Part Two: Americanized

In part one of my identity series, I talked about the power of a name in the formation of an identity. I will now talk about the power of a place in the formation of an identity. When Jyoti moves to America, she dons two new names, Jasmine and Jane. These are stereotypically American/Western names, while her true name, Jyoti, reveals her Indian upbringing. Why, however, does Jyoti feel that in order to immerse herself in American culture, it is necessary to take on a new name?


I feel that in order to take on this question we must first look at the message Mukherjee is trying to send. I believe with the name change, Mukherjee is highlighting the fact that when immigrants come to North America they must change and adapt in order to fit in with the people and culture. The author depicts this transformation by giving Jyoti a literal identity transformation. The name change signifies the change within Jyoti that takes place as a result of her move across the globe. Her situation is no different from most life-altering moves, in the sense that the environment she is exposed to naturally changes the way she thinks, acts, and expresses herself. Jyoti felt as though she needed to take on the personalities assigned to her by others in order to fit in, in order to become an 'American'. However, is it necessary to become an American just because one resides in the United States? The US used to be regarded as a melting pot of cultures, where immigrants could come and add their own unique ingredients to the concoction that was the American identity. With time, the American identity became more prescribed and recognized as many immigrants saw their old nationalities fade as they became increasingly Americanized. The term Americanized refers to the influence that the US has over its citizens, and these influences range from social media to political ideology to sport culture. However, there are places in the US that keep international identities alive, such as Little Italy or China Town.

I cannot relate to Jyoti's story. However, I recently had my own experience with embracing change and adapting to a new culture. When I moved from Aspen to London in my sophomore year, my world changed from watching people walk their golden retrievers down Main Street to watching double decker buses and black cabs crowding Edgeware Road. For the first fifteen years of my life, I was raised in a small town in Colorado, and then, like a shockwave, I was injected with British culture and the English way of life. I have picked up many phrases and adopted many British customs; I feel as though in the three years I have lived in England, I have changed noticeably from my small town Aspen self. The experiences I have had have contributed to this change. From hosting two students from Cairo who experienced the Arab Spring, to visiting a concentration camp on the outskirts of Munich during a soccer tournament, I have been exposed to cultural, social, and political ideas that are a unique part of living abroad. With my change in location came a change in perspective, and while I underwent many changes of my own, I still feel like the same person with a slight hint of Britization.


Britization [brit-uh-zay-shun]
adjective


The process by which one becomes influenced by British culture to the extent that he or she may show signs of behavioral assimilation as well as the overuse of the phrase "cheers".