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Amy Tan’s description of Christmas Eve dinner shows that any ethnic group can celebrate Christmas. When I think of celebrating Christmas, I usually do not think of Chinese food; but this is normal for Amy Tan’s family. We may not eat the same foods, but we are still celebrating and sharing a meal with family and friends. Amy was partly embarrassed of her family’s customs. She just wanted the boy to like her, and she thought she had to be like everyone else to be liked. She wanted to be assimilated into white American culture on the inside and on the outside.
“Goose-loose Blues for the Melting Pot” discusses more than just the assimilation of race and ethnicity. Stanley Crouch focuses mostly on the issue of race, but not completely. He also mentions the assimilation of women into American culture. He was born in a time when women only aspired to be teachers, nurses, and mothers. His daughter was born in a time when women can do anything men can do. His eyes are truly opened to this concept when his daughter talks about what she wants to be when she grows up. He talks about how races and ethnicities are already assimilated into American culture. He refers to them as an Oreo: colored on the outside and white on the inside. Although, different racial groups are sometimes segregated, they are still assimilated into American culture. When turning on the TV or looking at an advertisement, we see people of all cultures. This shows us how far America has come just during Stanley Crouch’s lifetime.
Amy Tan wants to be assimilated, and Stanley Crouch says that the different races already are assimilated. We know that Amy’s family is somewhat assimilated because they go to a church with a white preacher. We can also tell that they have not completely lost their heritage because of the mother’s accent and the foods they cook. Our nation is not completely free of prejudices, but we are close.