Term paper on What We Think Of America

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.