Assimilation

Assimilate means absorb and integrate peoples ideas or cultures, which usually involves themselves.. While reading A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha Younger assimilated herself because she is an African-American, and she try's to act something that she is not by almost trying to be white. Beneatha's hair is an example of her assimilation towards herself. When Asagai comes over and he says how she is "assimilated" because of how she doesn't let her natural hair flow and how she straightens it all the time. Since Beneatha feeling as if she is in need to change things about herself it may be a weakness towards herself and her family. If African-Americans wanted freedom they should show who they are and be proud that they are who they are. There are others, besides Beneatha, in the real world that do the same thing. There are children, teenagers, and even adults that feel the need to hide who they are.  People can assimilate by dressing a certain way, changing their hair color, or even changing the way they talk. They do these things because some feel that they look better a certain way, feel better about themselves knowing that they are changing something about there culture or appearance. I do not feel the need to change anything about my culture or appearance as some may. Eric Lui, the writer of Notes of a Native Speaker, came to the United States to attend college. Eric had got influenced by the crowds he hung out with. When he attended college he had socialized with a lot of white people. He explained how differently they acted from how he did at home. He explained how his white friends would eat properly and how at his home the educate was so much different. That was during his Freshman year of college, but he looked back at his Senior-dinner and he realized he was Chinese and nothing else. He had nothing to change about himself nor act of something he is not.