In the short story "Grandma's Tales" by Andrew Lam, the narrator says, "[Grandma has] seen Americans like John Wayne shooting her people in the movies before. She always thought of him as a bad guy, uglier than a water buffalo's ass" (21). Throughout his life in the movies, actor John Wayne is perceived as a great American hero. He empowers what it is to be a true and dedicated American, or is he? Grandma immigrates to this country in hopes to find a better life. America is known as a place for freedom, but is America accepting of her and her culture? I will examine through this paper the question, "How does John Wayne affect Grandma's experiences in America?" to gain a better understanding of what it was like to immigrate to America from another country.
It is important to learn about the backgrounds of Grandma and John Wayne to form a basis for this analysis. Throughout the short story we learn that Grandma is 94 years old and has lived a hard life. She experienced three wars, one of which is the Vietnam War, and came to America for a chance at a better life. The narrator describes Grandma's experience as, "America, besides, was not all that good for her" (20). One other limitation for Grandma is that she does not speak English. It is difficult for Grandma to participate in a New World where she is unable to communicate with the American lifestyle. Even though she has been brought up with Vietnamese culture and traditions, she is accepting to her grandchildren's American experiences. The narrator describes one example when, "Eric leaned over and kissed me on the lips and Grandma said, That's real nice, and I translated and we all laughed And she"d seen us more passionate than a kiss on the lips and didn't mind" (21). This shares with the reader Grandma's personality, as well as, her accepting openness towards new experiences in America. .
John Wayne has become, for Americans and those who watch his movies, "a symbolic male figure, a man of impregnable virility and the embodiment of simplistic, laconic virtues" (www.
Most of the younger generation will know this man as John Wayne. ... John Wayne didn't move in front of the camera until the early 20's. ... John Wayne appeared in a total of 250 movies. On June 11th, 1979, John Wayne died of lung and stomach cancer. ... On his headstone (by request of John Wayne), it says Feo, Fuerto y Formal that translates to Ugly, Strong, and with Dignity. ...
John Wayne A true legend of the movie industry was John Wayne. ... John Wayne had hoped to attend the U.S. ... John Wayne was on the road to stardom. ... Like any good John Wayne film, his career had a gratifying ending. ... John Wayne passed away on June 11, 1979 from stomach cancer. ...
Wayne's Last "Piece" Watching The Shootist, I kind of figured how it was going to turn out. ... Since most of John Wayne movies are easily predicted, they are often criticized. ... I feel what Cocks was trying to say, is John Wayne movies are old and boring. ... John Wayne movies, I believe, are pretty much all the same. The reason why I keep watching them is because I personally like the kind of actor John Wayne is. ...
John Wayne Gacy was born on March 17, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. ... John Wayne Gacy Sr. was an abusive alcoholic, a wife beater, and would verbally assault his children. ... After Gacy Sr. passed away, John Wayne Gacy, Struggled to overcome his emotions, Gacy felt that he had let his father down. ...
Grandma's Kitchen "Look up at the stars and the biggest brightest star is me looking over you and protecting you," That quote came from a letter my Grandma wrote me before she passed away. ... My childhood was mostly a big blur, I seem to suffer from short term memory loss. ... My Grandmas was the glue that held my entire family together. ... That memory was when my Grandma was sick. ... My Grandma was a fighter and never gave up on her fight. ...
Wayne Douglas Gretzky was born on January 26, 1961 in Brantford, Ontario. ... In 1991, Gretzky bought the Toronto Argonauts with actor John Candy and Bruce McNall (Marr 2012). ... In 1989, Wayne hosted Saturday Night Live a popular comedy show. ... In 1983, world-famous painter Andy Warhol painted a picture of Wayne. ... Wayne Gretzky is the greatest Canadian for many reasons. ...
Marion Morrison consumed the character of John Wayne. In his personal and professional life Marion went by John Wayne and it is throughout these 9 years John Wayne's screen presence in so captivating. ... It was acts like this that made John Wayne John Wayne and was loved by so many. ... John Wayne was republican and wasn't afraid to show it. ... "(E.Levy) John Wayne is and forever will be an American icon. ...
I beat grandma on the stick side with a little rubber ball and a souvenir hockey stick she'd gotten at a Chicago Blackhawks game. ... (Gretzky, 16) To start off, Wayne has been playing hockey ever since he was a young boy, he would be playing on the river or in the living room at his grandma's house. ... My mother would drop me off every morning before work at my grandma's house. ... He also had said that if Wayne didn't keep his grades up Wayne wasn't able to attend hockey. Wayne realized how important education is. ...
I was staying with my grandma and grandpa in St. ... Though my memory isn't sharp enough now to remember the specific time, the commonly retold story replays in my mind. ... Mom was speechless and grandma was blushing. ... "Grandma! ... He provides in our times of need." Grandma said with a smile. ...
