Immigrant: Film Analysis

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The visitor allowed me to gain an insight to the struggles of immigrants. Tarek and Zainab live their lives in caution, fearing any interaction with the authorities might lead to their deportation. Walter finds the couple living in his home, and Tarek's reacts by begging Walter not to call the police. The couple exits the home without hesitation as to avoid any conflict with the authorities. In my own experience, my husband is an immigrant in the process of applying for citizenship. My husband lives a calm life with no worry about deportation. Tarek and Zainab live on high alert; they are constantly worrying about getting caught. Zainab opens up to Walter after Tarek is taken into custody, she tells Walter about how careful the couple is …show more content…
In addition to living in fear, there are many adjustments which must be made. Language barrier is a common challenge amongst immigrants, making it hard to read street signs and shop in grocery stores. Gender roles may also clash based on the culture of previous country. In addition to living in fear, the cultural differences of immigrants may interfere with assimilation into American culture. The film allowed me to view the life of two immigrants. Tarek has been living in America for a few years, and his adjustment to American culture is notable. However, Zainab appears to have more difficulty with her transition. When Walter interacts with Zainab, she displays discomfort and annoyance. Zainab appears to misread non-verbal cues and to miss intended jokes from Walter. The film widened my understanding of the multi-faceted challenges that immigrants face (Hutchison, 2015). In my opinion, Walter is the visitor in the film. Walter is literally a visitor, coming to New York for a brief period of time. Walter stumbles into Tarek’s life by chance, their worlds collided and he is suddenly exposed to a reality which he was blind to. Walter is the visitor in the grand scheme of Tarek's life, playing only a small role. Metaphorically, Walter is the visitor in a larger plot. Walter takes a glimpse of the life of the immigrant community and their harsh

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