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Introduction
Ian Jack is the editor of Granta since 1995.
This book consists of 24 essays where the twenty-four
writers are related to different countries of
the globe. All of them expressed their opinions
about the role of America in their lives. For
some America brought a positive and pleasant change
in their life while others are not happy for what
America really is. Therefore, the title “what
we think of America”, rightly suits the
matter provided in the issue.
How Good Is It?
Since the end of the cold war, America is enjoying
the rank of being the world’s supreme economical,
political, military power and cultural power.
However, the different corners of the world either
belonging to the developing part or developed
part, has its own evaluation of America to be
good or bad to it. In the essay extracted from
Granta 77: “what we think about America”,
discuss a few reasons behind the feelings of the
world about America, its people and its foreign
as well as domestic policies.
This essay is based on the experiences of a novelist
“Hanan-al- Shaykh” who was an immigrant
in America, the world of dreams for every foreigner.
This essay very beautifully portraits the bitter
realities of the life of an immigrant in America.
How good and how bad America is with these immigrants
and the other unnatural citizens.
Basically the picture of America expresses freedom
of speech, right of expression and provides all
kinds of social, moral, economic, religious as
well as political rights not only to its citizens
but also to minorities. Life at America seems
to be something outstanding, out of this world
like living in heaven. This is the basic approach
the world has regarding the life at America. However,
one personally experiencing the ups and down and
facing the challenges living as an immigrant in
America has seen the dark side of this world of
fantasy. Its just an illusion to have a life so
organized, with out any social, political and
economical discrimination. People impressed by
the development and modernization of America desire
to get even small things of daily use as gifts
from their relatives who come back their home
state.
They actually do not know how hard it is to live
in America especially with out a national status.
The rigid policy of the state has no heart, no
place for these immigrants as they cannot enjoy
even the right to work, get loans to rent a house
and earn their living as compared to the unskilled
and unqualified nationals. If they are under some
debt crises, no one has a heart to support neither
morally nor in searching some job or providing
any kind of assistance. Especially if the only
earning member of an immigrant family has suddenly
expired and the mother and kids have no one to
look after them, no job and at the same time they
have to leave the house.
The world’s largest social services provider,
health care provider and legal as well as moral
assistance provider has no collateral for these
immigrants living in America. The locals and teenagers
are provided extra and abnormal privileges, ample
use of alcohol rights of children, education rights,
health rights and the so-called rights to minorities.
Though all such rights are a part of the American
constitution but not implemented in a just manner
for the social, economical as well as cultural
security of minorities specifically immigrants.
Conclusion
What we think of America is an essay expressed
by the personal experience of the writer living
under the status of immigrant in the country.
The whole essay criticizes how good America actually
is? The illusion of justice security, freedom
and equal rights to all were washed out with when
the bitter realities of life are showered on the
minorities. The cruelties of the Americans towards
the immigrants are a part of these harsh realities,
which are expressed in this essay. It opens the
eyes of the world regarding the American domestic
policies though smooth and collateral according
to the constitution but not in implementation
and practice.
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