Reading "Double Face" by Amy Tan didn't surprise me at all. As an Asian American my family has been struggling through the same social change. In my family we are four sisters and one bother (me). I am 2nd oldest in my family and only one that wasn't born in United State of America. I remember my old sister whom I use to go to school together, took two hours in bathroom every morning trying her best to look like American. The words "you don't look like Indian" use to make her happier then anything else. I remember my first day of school in USA when my sister told me not to tell any one in school that I am her bother, because that will destroy her reputation in school. Of course I wasn't old enough to decide my own appearance but she was. My sister is six years older then me, and she was the first Indian women I saw smoking and drinking at age of 15. She always went out with Spanish or black kids in school. .
According to my naked eye no one could of being a better example then my own sister, in terms of cultural imperialism. She never finished her High School and runaway from home, when my father decides a range marriage for her. Later that year she got married with an African-American guy and got divorce two years later. Well I guess she learned from her mistake and trying her best to be an Indian, now days. She is not the only one that doesn't get accepted in my culture, me myself having the same problems. I tried my best to maintain my own culture, I can read and write in my own language, which she doesn't. Well, I guess we have to be more Indian then Indian and More American the American to get accepted in both societies. .
Only logical explanation my grandfather ever gave me when I asked for advice was that "when you live in a modern society, you can never go back". I still didn't understood the meaning of his word, wish I can ask him again but to bad he past a way. My grandfather use to tell me that "Most North Americans who eat hot dogs (frankfurters) have never been to Frankfurt, nor have most North American Toyota owners or Sushi eater ever visited Japan".
