Identity and its flexibility Everyday our minds change and develop. One will go through a series of life altering events, and not only will these events be life changing, but they will be identity changing as well. Ones identity is flexible and changes constantly. Change can be slight or change can be major, but identity is never fixed. We, as individuals, choose how to create our identity. That does not necessarily mean that we have many different identities, but they change as life changes. Change is inevitable but so are stereotypes. No matter what others say about you or infer about you, you still possess the ability to control the way you see yourself. The way one sees themselves is what is important and that individuality is exactly
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He grew up in a Spanish speaking home in America, and was ultimately feeling as if the world around him wanted him to just “choose one”. He mentions that many Mexicans immigrating to the United States want their kids to feel like they will face less problems by having American names. Throughout history we see the idolizing of Americans and whites around the world. With tv, newspaper, and word of mouth we can come to a conclusion that living the white American dream was what people wanted. Why change your name in order to be seen as a “normal” person? Munoz sees this as a waste of time but realizes the prejudice attitudes people have towards Mexicans. If a Mexican were to have an American name they would be more likely to get the job, or to get taken seriously. It is also simply “easier” to pronounce and understand as opposed to an unfamiliar Mexican name. Munoz was happy that he was named Manuel solely because it was not an American name and he took pride in his diversity and his family. Although he believes that one should not change their name for assimilation, he realizes that he can not make assumptions about a person regardless. “ But who was I to imagine this man being from anywhere, based on his name alone? At a place of arrivals and departures, it sank into me that the currency of our names is a stroke of luck: because mine was not an easy name, it forced me to consider how language would rule me if I allowed it.” (Munoz, paragraph 23). We all have a choice and we can choose to let the ideas of others define us or we can create our own definition of
He grew up in a Spanish speaking home in America, and was ultimately feeling as if the world around him wanted him to just “choose one”. He mentions that many Mexicans immigrating to the United States want their kids to feel like they will face less problems by having American names. Throughout history we see the idolizing of Americans and whites around the world. With tv, newspaper, and word of mouth we can come to a conclusion that living the white American dream was what people wanted. Why change your name in order to be seen as a “normal” person? Munoz sees this as a waste of time but realizes the prejudice attitudes people have towards Mexicans. If a Mexican were to have an American name they would be more likely to get the job, or to get taken seriously. It is also simply “easier” to pronounce and understand as opposed to an unfamiliar Mexican name. Munoz was happy that he was named Manuel solely because it was not an American name and he took pride in his diversity and his family. Although he believes that one should not change their name for assimilation, he realizes that he can not make assumptions about a person regardless. “ But who was I to imagine this man being from anywhere, based on his name alone? At a place of arrivals and departures, it sank into me that the currency of our names is a stroke of luck: because mine was not an easy name, it forced me to consider how language would rule me if I allowed it.” (Munoz, paragraph 23). We all have a choice and we can choose to let the ideas of others define us or we can create our own definition of