Culture in "The Good Daughter" Anonymous 10th Grade

In “The Good Daughter”, an essay by Caroline Hwang, a young Korean American-born woman struggles with accepting her cultural identity. When Hwang goes to the dry cleaner and is told that she does not pronounce her surname properly by a woman of her own ethnicity, she is greatly impacted. This triggers a self-reflection for the main character, which in turn teaches the reader a great deal about Korean American culture.

An obvious characteristic of the Korean American culture is the emphasis placed on assimilation, even at the expense of children becoming disassociated from their culture. Hwang feels that her identity has been lost because she cannot readily say “I am Korean” in the language of her ancestry nor can she pronounce her name correctly (1). Immigrants are so focused on assimilating into the American culture that they forget to remain true to their roots, which is an issue that Hwang herself struggles with; she is disappointed in herself for allowing such a loss of heritage and ethnic qualities even though she was not the only one who played a role in her Americanization.

A conflict involving a loss of Korean culture arises between Hwang and her mother. This showcased characteristic is contradictory to the aspect of...