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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
Rebekah Espino-Drobner
AMST 190
3/17/13
Identity Formation and the Cinema
Throughout America’s history, there has come a tendency to create an “us vs.
them” mentality toward each incoming new group of people. The need for
compartmentalizing people based on their identity comes from the initial insecurities
faced by Americans who do not have a core foundational identity. While the issue of the
need for categorizing people based on their national identity reached a peak during the
Ellis Island migrations, the momentum had started years before, and continued
throughout history to modern society, evolving and changing as the social status of the
immigrant changed as well. The focus of this paper is the role that nationality plays in the
creation of identity, and how the cinema portrays the evolution of immigrant identity,
specifically European immigrants, throughout the generations as seen in The Godfather
and Gangs of New York.
In order to understand the importance of identity within spectrum of immigrants,
we first must look at the importance of identity formation in general, along with the
purpose and necessity of identities within society. Throughout the years, identity has
become the key factor in defining a person, which can be problematic when constantly
shifting societies are what dictate the shifts in identity formation; there has been research
that “links identity shifts to historical cultural configurations, arguing that certain
character types are encouraged by cultures through differential socialization practices”1.
1 Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." Annual Review of Scoiology. Vol. 26. N.p.: Annual Reviews, 200. 367-93. JSTOR. Web. Pg. 373.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
As society evolves and expands, so does the spectrum of subcategories that make up the
general components of the meaning of identity, and greatly affect identity formation.
Recently, there have been theorists that have started to argue that with all of the shifting
and changing in societies, especially cross-culturally, the concept of identity has been
assigned with too many different meanings, and it has now “ceased to be meaningful”2.
Although the concept of identity is socially constructed and the meaning has
arguably been stretched thin over the years, there are still psychological reasoning as to
why this construct has been a part of society for so many years, and why it is still
extremely important when understanding society and individuals. Social psychologists
have studied the human psyche, and have developed a theory related to social cognition,
which is the way in which we store and process information3. With the amount of stimuli
in our surrounding world, we as individuals feel as if we must categorize, organize, and
compartmentalize all of these different components in order to make sense of them.
Components of this method to understanding are the self and group schemas we create.
Self-schemas allow us to understand ourselves and our place within society through the
lens of how we are seen in society, based on general group schemas. Group schemas are
essentially stereotypes that we use to understand and compartmentalize different large
groups of people that are connected by an individual commonality, which we then assign
onto all members of said group. With all of the information that we have to intake and
organize, it is easier for us as humans to generalize people and ideas in this manner,
rather than critically assess on an individual basis.
2 Sokefeld, Martin. "Reconsidering Identity." Anthropos (2001): 527-44. Jstor. Web3 Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." pg. 368.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
The issues surrounding identity have become exceedingly problematic due to the
fact that “when societies were more stable, identity was to a great extent assigned, rather
than selected or adopted. In current times, however, the concept of identity carries the full
weight of the need for a sense of who one is, together with an often overwhelming pace
of change in the surrounding social contexts – changes in the groups and networks in
which people and their identities are embedded”4. Previously in society, such as when
“8.8 million [immigrants] admitted during the 1910’s [were] predominately from
Europe”, identities were assigned to individuals by the populous of society5. At the time,
immigration and the “threat” of national identity towards the Americans influenced the
social norm of identifying people using their nationality as the foundation of their identity
formation. This allowed for the Americans to create a hierarchy in their society based on
these said identities, as well as implement a strict “us vs. them” mentality that
unfortunately continues to exist. The affects of the power of society dictated identity can
be seen clearly in Gangs of New York, which focuses on the divide in New York between
Americans and the incoming swarm of Irish immigrants. Everyone, regardless of age,
sex, or class, will ultimately be identified as either American or Irish, and more
importantly, either American or not American. The process of identity formation
changed over that long period of time, however nationality and ethnicity still are an
extremely significant factor. Studies have shown that ethnic identities are made up of “a
sense of belonging, attitudes toward one’s own ethnic group, social participation, and
cultural practices”, which are determinant on the social climate, and fluctuate throughout
4 Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." pg. 3675 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Annual Review of Sociology 23.1 (1997): 63-95. Print.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
the years6. Because identity isn’t assigned in the same manner as it used to be, people are
able to identify themselves by ways other than their nationality. However, since
nationality and ethnicity are still prominent factors, people often feel as if they must over
identify with other aspects of their life and completely dismiss their nationality, as
depicted thoroughly in The Godfather, through Michael’s continuous struggles between
his American and Italian identity.
The subject of identity is a central issue and theme within the films Gangs of New
York and The Godfather. Gangs of New York, directed by Martin Scorsese, places
Leonardo DiCaprio as a young Irish man in 1863, set on avenging his fathers murder
committed by the American, Bill the Butcher. The opening scene depicts a bloody battle
between the Irish and the Americans, who also called themselves the Nativists, in a war
fueled by ethnic and religious identity conflicts. Put this film in contrast with Francis
Ford Coppola’s classic, The Godfather, in which he vividly depicts the hybrid of old-
country culture and assimilated American culture, and the struggles that accompany both.
Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, is an Italian immigrant who came to America,
establishes a name for himself as a mob boss through the 1940s, and attempts to engage
his son Michael, played by Al Pacino, with the rest of the family. Michael initially resists
his Italian identity and family, by attempting to assimilate to the American culture, and
establish himself with an American identity. It is of vital importance to look towards the
cinema when addressing social and cultural issues, such as the one at hand. Historically,
films have been used as a form of social commentary, documenting our society in ways
in which we can compartmentalize and understand complicated themes and situations7.
6 Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." pg. 3747 Harker, Jonathan. ": Film: An Anthology . Daniel Talbot." Film Quarterly 13.3 (1960): n. pag. Print.
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The cinema takes these complicated issues and creates a face and a storyline that we can
connect to, as well as identify with on a personal level. While these films address issues
that seemingly happened years ago in America’s past, the popularity and infamy that they
still hold to this day prove that the subject of identity is still one that is continuously
struggled with, and is relevant in our modern society. These films have transcended the
screen and have become a part of our American culture. They have been reappropriated
many times throughout film, television, and other media outlets, which then continue to
press the importance of the subject matter addressed in these story lines. While the
characters and stories may be fictional, the troubles surrounding the themes of identity
are very real, and therefore can be used when academically and critically discussing these
conflicts.
A component of the struggle with identity that can be seen both in the cinema, as
well as in historical context, is the societal assignment of identity that was previously
discussed. When individuals were identified by one particular aspect of themselves,
especially one that did not hold much flexibility in the eyes of society, it became nearly
impossible from them to transcend their dictated placement, and as a result, these
individuals were forced to either adapt to life as a second class citizens, or be forced to
attempt to assimilate as much as they possibly could. Because of the oppressive structure
of identity formation, even assimilation could never make a person truly America in the
eyes of many. Since the beginning of its creation, America has been a country that has
been foundationally based on assimilation, primarily due to the fact that it never had a
distinct culture to call its own. The lack of a hegemonic American culture lead to the
need of separation of Americans, or the Nativists, from ‘non-Americans’, especially
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
when immigrants began arriving to America in waves. When Irish immigrants started
rapidly appearing in America, the Americans felt the need to separate themselves from
the immigrants and hold on to their American identity, creating an ‘us vs. them’ mentality
through the land.
While many immigrants were automatically categorized as second-class citizens,
none felt this harsh reality more than the Irish. In the beginning, “’to be called an
‘Irishman’ had come to be nearly as great an insult as to be called a ‘nigger’.’”8 The Irish
were looked down upon, and put on the same plateau as the black slaves in America, to
such an extent that on the census, “it was by no means clear that the Irish were white” for
the Irish were kept as a separate race altogether9. This can clearly be seen in one of the
lesser prominent scenes in Gangs of New York, where a seemingly insignificant
conversation between two of the main characters actually sums up the entire social
commentary of the film itself. Jim Broadbent’s character, William “Boss” Tweed,
converses with Daniel Day-Lewis’ character, known as Bill “The Butcher” Cutting, down
by the docs, where The Butcher has gathered his Nativist men to berate and intimidate the
new shipments of Irish that are streaming in to the city. The individuals getting of the
ship seem broken and frightened, as the women shuffle along with the children and the
men head directly to the politicians who are enlisting them to fight the war of a country in
which they just arrived, in order to prove their loyalty. William, an avid politician
himself, approaches Bill and tries to reason with him by telling him that the Irish are
actually important to use in the future for voting numbers. Bill replies that voting is an
8 Roediger, David R. The Wages of Whiteness: Irish-American Workers and White Racial Formation in the Antebellum United States. New York. Print.9 Roediger, David R. The Wages of Whiteness: Irish-American Workers and White Racial Formation in the Antebellum United States.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
American right, and then continues to state, “I don’t see no Americans, I see trespassers.
Irish harps do a job for a nickel a nigger would do for a dime, what a man used to get a
quarter for”10. Bill’s statement not only shows the animosity for immigrants like the
Irish, but it also shows their standing in society in relation to the black slaves. He sees
the immigrants not only as a threat to his fragile American identity, but on his economy
as well, and classifies these people as second-class citizens along with the slaves,
regardless of the fact that he is standing directly next to the Irish men that are signing up
for the war to fight for his beloved country, merely because they were Irish. It was
sentiments such as this that made it impossible for people to transcend their identities and
become someone or something other than their nationality.
However, change did come in time in the form of assimilation. Since the Irish
were placed in the same social classification as Blacks were, they were also often in the
same economical classification as well, and were going after the same jobs that Black
people were, especially since their lack of skill, kept them “at the bottom of white
society”11. Originally, the two communities were civil and sociable, however, when
devastation and war struck America, the Irish immigrants were among the first to demand
“an ‘all-white warfront’, rid of Blacks altogether” as a method of “ensuring their own
survival”12. For the black slaves, “assimilation was believed to be largely unattainable
and therefore not a source of concern” to the white Irish men who believed that this was
their opportunity to become more white, which was, at the time, synonymous for being
10 Gangs of New York. Dir. Martin Scorsese. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day- Lewis, Cameron Diaz. 20th Century FOx, 2002. DVD. Time:1:1011 Roediger, David R. Working Towards Whiteness. Pg 145.12 Roediger, David R. The Wages of Whiteness: Irish-American Workers and White Racial Formation in the Antebellum United States. New York. Print.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
more American13. This was the catalyst for the Irish immigrants; they assimilated and
created their own identity as not only Americans, but also White Americans.
As it can be seen through these examples, there is a clear irony to the formation of
American identity. With each incoming group of immigrants, an American identity can
be established just by being more American than the group before. It is important,
however, to note the fact that while this was a small, although unsettling, success for the
Irish toward forming an American identity, “acculturation did not necessarily lead to
other forms of integration into the host society […] ethnic groups would remain
distinguished from on another depending largely on the degree to which groups gained
the acceptance of the dominant population”14. This essentially means that while the Irish
felt assimilated into their American identities socially, it did not necessarily guaranteed
them the equality and rights of American citizens, and their acceptance was completely
determined by the popular opinion of the current society, which fluctuated and evolved
over the years.
The irony in this is that technically, and theoretically, those that created this
oppressive and subjective system, where once immigrants as well. The white settlers that
deemed themselves Americans, the Nativists, originated from England when their
ancestors came to America, yet they believed that they were able to dictate what is a
socially acceptable American identity to the rest of society. It is type of thinking that
causes a rotational continuation of flawed identity formation, and creates the many
13 Higham, John. Approaches to American Immigration and Ethnic History: The Problem of Assimilation in the United States. (Cengage Learning, 1998)14 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Pg. 71.
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conflictions that people face when creating their own individual identities, as well as their
group schemas surrounding other nationalities.
Despite the historical truths that make up the irony of American identity, many
Americans continued to ostracize and degrade those from other nations, and
compartmentalized them into tiny inflexible identities solely based on their nationalities.
While it seems unjust and repressive, there were some immigrants who remained tied to
their nationalities, and because migrating uprooted them from their original homes and
cultures, they were therefore forced to find new ways to hold onto their culture once
entered in a new land. For the European immigrants, once in America each individual
handled the transition differently; “only those who were capable of adjusting from
peasant ways to the needs of new conditions and new challenges were able to absorb the
successive shocks of migration”, and those who weren’t able to get a grasp on their new
reality, suffered from “loneliness, separation from the community of the village, and
despair at the insignificance of their own human abilities”15. For those who did want to
assimilate, and instead chose to stand by their national identity with pride, adaptation
became the only way to be able to cope with the uprooting for many migrants. An
important factor of the adapting was creating a society that was familiar and made the
new country feel more like home by maintaining their ties to their home countries. Many
learned to achieve this in subtle ways, such as continuing to speak their native language
and combining their language with English, importing books from their homeland, and
continuing their own traditions 16.
15 Handlin, Oscar. Major Problems in American Immigration and Ethnic History:Approaches to American Immigration and Ethnic History. Ed. Jon Gjerde. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.16 Franklin, Benjamin. Language Loyalties: A Source Book on the Official English Controversy:The German Language in Pennsylvania. Ed. James Crawford. Chicago: University
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This pride and adaption are two themes that are seen strongly in both of the films
this paper is discussing. In Gangs of New York, Five Points, the name of the sector the
main characters live, was a niche for the Irish immigrants, and each different area of New
York was segregated based on the identity of the people that live there. Like many other
immigrants that have come to America over the years, they divided the cities into varying
burros in order to surround themselves with people they identified with. This was also
seen in The Godfather. Through the lens of an organized crime family, the movie depicts
the more embedded issues of assimilation, in relationship to the strong need for
traditional values and customs. Throughout the movie, the importance of loyalty, family,
and traditional Italian manners are displayed as a centerpiece for he rest of the story. It
clearly shows the importance of remaining connected to heritage and culture, no matter
how far from home they are, and the pride they continue to feel when identifying by their
nationality.
While some immigrants held fast to their assigned identities, many struggled with
the concept, and instead decided that they would rather assimilate and identify as an
American. As demonstrated previously, America is a nation that was founded on the
ideals of assimilation, due to the fact that there originally was no distinct American
culture. The process of conformity and assimilation is one that began with the very first
immigrants, and still continues to this day. However, the motivations behind assimilation
have evolved from an idea forced upon by an external oppressor, to a voluntary concept
that has been internalized over the course of many generations. As stated by assimilation
theorists:
of Chicago, 1992. Print.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
Distinctive ethnic traits such as old cultural ways, native
languages, or ethnic enclaves are sources of disadvantages
that negatively affect assimilation […] although complete
acculturation to the dominant American culture may not
ensure all immigrants full social participation in the host
society, immigrants must free themselves from their old
cultures in order to begin rising up from marginal positions
[…] [It was] anticipated, nevertheless, that ethnic
minorities would eventually lose all their distinctive
characteristics and cease to exist as ethnic groups as they
pass through the stages of assimilation.17
While it is clear that the latter argument of total ethnic annihilation did not
happen, nor will happen any time in the immediate future, the attitude behind the
negative affects toward assimilation generated the foundation of the mentality on creating
an American identity. To many of these immigrants, being able to achieve an American
identity meant that they had to completely dismiss their original national identity, and
rather than going to one extreme end of the spectrum with submerging themselves in their
own culture to adapt, they went in the other direction and denounced all parts of their
original heritage. This type of assimilation was most often seen by second generation of
immigrants, or the children of immigrants. In The Godfather, arguably the most
interesting and complex storyline in the movie is that of Vito’s son, Michael Corleone,
who distances himself from his family at a younger age. Wanting to put as much space
between himself and his family’s lifestyle, Michael does everything in his power to
assimilate, and identify as an American, rather than an Italian. He joins the army,
became an American soldier, and chooses to be involved with an American woman,
17 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Pg. 71.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
rather than an Italian woman, or even Italian American woman. We are first introduced to
Michael at the beginning of the film during a wedding celebration for his sister at his
father’s estate. It is made clear that Vito values Michael because he refuses to take the
family picture before he arrives, which enforces his heavy familial values. However
when Michael shows up, he is late, dressed in uniform, and with his white American
girlfriend. While he loves his family, he clearly stands out from the boisterous group of
Italian men and women that fill the celebration. In a particular scene, Michael and Kay
Adams, his girlfriend, are listening to Johnny Fontane, a famous singer who is
performing at the wedding. Kay asks Michael how the family knows Johnny, and this
conversation follows:
Michael: Well, when Johnny was first starting out, he was
signed to a personal services contract with this big-band
leader. And as his career got better and better, he wanted to
get out of it. But the bandleader wouldn’t let him. Now,
Johnny is my father’s godson. SO my father went to see
this bandleader and offered him $10,000 to let Johnny go,
but the bandleader said no. SO the next day, my father went
back, only this time with Luca Brasi. Within an hour, he
had a signed release for a certified check of $1,000.
Kay Adams: How did he do that?
Michael: My father made him an offer he couldn’t refuse
[…] Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father
assured him that either his brains or his signature would be
on the contract.
(Kay is silent and stares at Michael)
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
Michael: That’s a true story […] That’s my family Kay,
that’s not me.18
It is clear that Michaels struggle is not just one of heritage, but of morality as
well, however these two issues are largely intertwined throughout the film. As discussed
earlier, society often dictates the way in which different identities, specifically ethnic
ones, are perceived by the general populous by the usage of group schemas. A common
stereotype that derived from this time period during the 1940’s was the correlation of
Italian immigrants and illegal activities. As demonstrated by the previous quote,
Michael’s attempt to assimilate into an American identity is done so by separating
himself not only culturally, but from the other components that make up his family as
well. Because mobster and Italian identity were synonyms at the time, he denounces the
acts of his family and instead takes on a law-abiding job and other American attributes in
order to solidify his identity as American. This way of thinking does change throughout
the movie, however it is interesting to view the initial foundation of what Michael
believed an American identity was conceived of.
These films focus on issues in society that are not just historic, but relevant in our
current society as well. The affects of societies impact on identity formation within the
immigrant community can still be seen to this day in the urban infrastructure and
communities around America. Much like the New York that Five Points inhabited in
Gangs of New York, urban centers such as New York and San Francisco that were major
ports of immigration continue to show the affects of the divided cities of the past19. The
18 The Godfather. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Prod. Francis Ford Coppola. By Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo. Perf. Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and Niro Robert De. Paramount Pictures, 1974. DVD.19 Jimenez, Tomas R. Assessing Immigrant Assimilation: New Empirical and Theoretical Challenges. Annual Review of Scoiology. By Mary C. Waters. Vol. 31. N.p.: Annual Reviews, 2005. 105-25. JSTOR. Web.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
separation mentality and compartmentalization of different national identities in society,
and the massive movements of adaptation, lead to segregation of many urban areas,
which still exist today. The creation of places such as China Town, Japan Town, and
Little Italy not only creates an ethnic and national divide within the urban ecosystem, but
it also continues to perpetuate the “othering” of people based on their identities. While it
is essential that people are able to live in communities with those whom have similar
traditions and values, it also keeps the urban areas of immigration, along with the
mentality of many Americans, stagnant and un-evolved, which in turn continues the cycle
of an ironic and subjective formation of American identities.
Even more important to the issue of modern day impact of historical identity
formation struggles, is the impact on the next generation: the children of the immigrants.
Children of immigrants have often times been overlooked during the study of identity
formation, however it has been found that these individuals often suffer from more
societal conflict in this area than their parents. Even in the 1940’s, children like Michael
felt torn between their family and cultural origins, with the want to assimilate and
identify as America, and that struggle continues to this day.
The focus on children and assimilation comes from the fact that “differing from
their immigrant parents, immigrant children and children of immigrants lack meaningful
connections to their ‘old’ world. They are thus unlikely to consider a foreign country as a
place to return to or as a point of reference. They instead are prone to evaluate themselves
or to be evaluated by others by the standards of their new country”20. Like Michael,
children of immigrants often don’t have the same connection to the homeland that their
20 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Pg. 64.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
parents do. For example, “in the United States, immigrant children often become
Americanized so quickly that their parents cannot keep up with them. There is a fear in
the older generation that their children will leave them, become like other American
youth, and forget about their roots”21. These children assimilate quickly because they
often do not have a strong connection with the homeland like their elder families do,
however their families often times don’t understand this fact, and this gap of
understanding creates even more identity conflict and familial pressure, often times
driving the kids away, such as Michael was in the start of The Godfather.
In addition to the familial pressure that this second generation feels, society as a
whole has a great influence in the conflict faced by these individuals. As it has been seen
time and time again through this analysis of identity formation, it is clear that society
plays a large role in dictating our identities, especially ones based on nationality and
ethnicity. As was seen with the Irish immigrants, attempts to assimilate often failed, and
it was ultimately the American society that determined whether or not the Irish had
successfully been deemed American, and this trend continues to this day. Due to this,
this second generation is caught in a binding conflict of identity; they are identified by
their origin nationality by the dominant populous of society, however they themselves
don’t have any connection with their home countries. This conflict leads to a lot of
confusion and questioning within this group of people, as to who they really are. This
question creates conflict within the individuals, and as a result, leads to “a growing
‘oppositional culture’ among young Americans, especially among those who have felt
oppressed and excluded from the American mainstream […] immigrant children have
21 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Pg. 83.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
confronted a reality in their host society where their ascribed physical features may
become a handicap”22. These second generation individuals are feeling the affects of
society dictated identity formation first hand, and it is apparent that while our culture has
evolved in a lot of ways, it has stayed the same in many ways as well. In this instance,
the only thing that has evolved is the way that the individuals react toward the society;
instead of adapting and accepting their assigned identities, the lack of connection to their
homeland makes them confused and aggressive against the dominant views of society.
It is evident that the issues surrounding identity formation are far from historic;
they are happening here and now within our society, with new incoming immigrants from
many different countries more and more each year. These people continue to fight the
dominant society creating inflexible identities for them, just as they used to when it was
only the Irish coming in mass numbers. As it can be seen throughout this analysis, the
importance and relevance of the two movies chosen as references to this social issue is
also still apparent in modern society. These movies have transcended the cinema as a
part of our popular culture, and continue to express stories and underlying themes that
people still identify with to this day. They depict the very real shift of immigrant identity
from adaption to assimilation, and can be used as tools in not only understanding our
history as an immigrant nation, full of insecurity in our own identities, but also
understanding our current society, and how we got to where we are today. The only way
that we will be able to change the oppression and conflict that often accompanies
immigrant identity formation is to understand our past, and learn how to change it and
break the seemingly never ending cycle.
22 Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Pg. 69&76.
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Rebekah Espino-Drobner
BibliographyFranklin, Benjamin. Language Loyalties: A Source Book on the Official English
Controversy:The German Language in Pennsylvania. Ed. James Crawford. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1992. Print.
17
Rebekah Espino-Drobner
Gangs of New York. Dir. Martin Scorsese. Perf. Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day- Lewis, Cameron Diaz. 20th Century Fox, 2002. DVD. Time:1:10
The Godfather. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Prod. Francis Ford Coppola. By Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo. Perf. Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, and Niro Robert De. Paramount Pictures, 1974. DVD.
Harker, Jonathan. ": Film: An Anthology . Daniel Talbot." Film Quarterly 13.3 (1960): n. pag. Print.
Higham, John. Approaches to American Immigration and Ethnic History: The Problem of Assimilation in the United States. (Cengage Learning, 1998)
Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." Annual Review of Scoiology. Vol. 26. N.p.: Annual Reviews, 200. 367-93. JSTOR. Web. Pg. 373.
Jimenez, Tomas R. Assessing Immigrant Assimilation: New Empirical and Theoretical Challenges. Annual Review of Scoiology. By Mary C. Waters. Vol. 31. N.p.: Annual Reviews, 2005. 105-25. JSTOR. Web.
Roediger, David R. The Wages of Whiteness: Irish-American Workers and White Racial Formation in the Antebellum United States. New York. Print.
Roediger, David R. Working Towards Whiteness. New York: Basic, 2005. Print. Pg 145.
Sokefeld, Martin. "Reconsidering Identity." Anthropos (2001): 527-44. Jstor. Web
Zhou, Min. "Growing Up American: The Challenge Confronting Immigrant Children and Children of Immigrants." Annual Review of Sociology 23.1 (1997): 63-95. Print.
18