Task 2B

There are many immigrants in the world today. They often move because of the conditions in their own country. However, this does not mean that their new life in their new country is going to be a walk in the park. Immigrants face many problems with culture, norms, values etc.

Hounour

In the extract of the novel Honour, we get many signs that shows that the people in the text are immigrants. Right of the bat we see the name Adem Toprak. This indicates that they most likely are immigrants because the whole text is written in English with English dialogue. One of the main clues we get in the text is about a nameplate.

‘’ ‘We live here as well,’ she grumbled. ‘Why write only Dad’s name?’ Esma was a frail girl but she always expressed herself with giant ideas: equal opportunity, social justice, women’s rights … My friends thought she was either barmy or a Communist. If it were up to her she would have written instead: THE TOPRAK FAMILY Or else, ADEM, PEMBE, ISKENDER, ESMA, YUNUS & THE GOLDFISH Either way I didn’t give a toss. I, myself, would have left the nameplate anonymous. That would have been more decent, more straightforward. It would be my way of saying nobody lived here. Not really. We didn’t live in this flat, only sojourned.’’ (Shafak)

The Protagonist says he would like to leave the nameplate anonymous because no one really lived here. This shows that they may just be here for a little while, or that they haven’t got permission for a permanent stay. His sister however, thinks that all the names should be on the nameplate. It might be that she fails to understand that their permanent stay isn’t certain. The word sojourned also comes up in the extract which means a temporary stay; a brief period of residence. The protagonist also says: ‘’We Topraks were only passers-by in this city – a half-Turkish, half Kurdish in the wrong end of London.’’ By this point, it’s certain that they are in fact immigrants. We also get an insight in the difficulties with being an immigrant. In this case not fitting in and being afraid of deportation. It seems to that the protagonist in a way wishes to be sent home. He seems very negative about everything in his new home. The food, not fitting in and even small things like the nameplate. Maybe he thinks it’s better for everyone if they got deported. His negative ways may also because he doesn’t want to get his hope up for nothing.

Freedom Writers

We follow the English Teacher Erin Gruwell, that is working with college students other teachers deemed ‘’unteachable’’.  The students are not even a little bit concerned with homework and assignments. They have other more important things on their mind. Gangs, drugs, violence, and murder is sadly a big part of their lives. The class is multiracial with Latinos, blacks, whites, Asians and so on. This leads to many conflicts. They almost have a divided race system in the school. Everyone has their own group with their ‘’own people’’. The story focuses little on immigrants but more on the offspring of all the immigrants in the school. As a following of all the different races, there’s conflicts. We see a lot of gang related violence in the movie. A lot of it is about respect and defending what is yours, even though you might die for it.

 The students in the movie ‘’Freedom writers’’ tend to stick with their own people, and have a negative viewpoint on all the other groups of people. This leads to difficulties for the teacher Erin Gruwell. When everybody refuses to cooperate, it is almost impossible making class work together. A lot of the people in the school furthermore the class speaks Spanish as well as English. This may indicate that they or their parents are immigrants from for example Mexico.

Conclusion

I will conclude with that immigration definently has some sort of place in both ‘’Freedom writers’’ and the extract from ‘’Honour’’. In ‘’Honour’’ immigration seems to be the main theme. A family of immigrants that doesn’t seem to fit in. In the movie ‘’Freedom writers’’ it’s maybe not so much about immigrants, but the offspring of immigrants living in America.

“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.” 

― Franklin D. Roosevelt