Verified Document

Catfish And Mandala Pham Discusses Stereotypical Treatment Essay

Catfish and Mandala Pham discusses stereotypical treatment he experienced in his briefly-held job and how that experience affected him deeply. When Paul, Pham's boss, makes stereotypical comments about him -- and "Orientals," in general -- Pham does not like it because he knows that a positive stereotype Paul makes about Asians "as good workers" may easily turn into a negative stereotype because both types of stereotypes are rooted in pre-judged generalizations. Indeed, by the time he resigns, Pham ceases to be a "good Oriental" in the eyes of Paul. Paul's stereotyping is problematic on several grounds. By ascribing certain characteristics to "Orientals," he does not simply lump together people of an entire nation (which already is a problematic generalization), but peoples of many nations. And Paul's definition of a "good Oriental" is based what he expects from an Asian: hard-working, math-loving, obedient and meek, always-looking-for-an-advice-from-his-white-American-boss...

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

But Pham obviously does not meet these requirements. And because of that, Paul no longer sees him as a "good Oriental." Pham, in Paul's eyes, must be an exception to the "rule."
The stereotyping by Paul deeply affects Pham. He resents it. He does not want to be seen as someone who only exists in the stereotypical mind of a white American. Pham does not want to be type-casted. Pham also does not like when his father reminds him that he is an "Asian man in America" and that "all his bosses will be white." This experience forces him to look at his roots and see that to be fully accepted one has to have the "proper" look, language, name, religion, and sexual orientation. Those who do not are unfortunately "dysfunctional." Pham may try to be a "real" American but he will not be accepted as such. And Vietnamese-American is out of place -- neither fully Vietnamese nor fully American.

A lot of what…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Treatment Vs. Punishment Juvenile Justice
Words: 2712 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Treatment vs. Punishment Treatment Concept Juvenile crime is often serious because of the ability to represent a significant proportion in relation to the total criminal activity within the community. The normal assumption indicates that adolescents deserve and require special handling during the formative period. Criminal behavior during this stage of life might not continue into adulthood thus the need for integration of special handling by the relevant justice systems within the case

Treatments for PTSD Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress
Words: 1633 Length: 5 Document Type: Article Review

Treatments for PTSD Treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients has varied from one context to the other depending on the nature of the disorder. However, over the years, an increased number of research studies have been conducted to establish the best treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder patients. A number of findings have been made public as further research takes place. This study will critically evaluate three articles whilst comparing group

Treatments of Bulimia Nervosa the Best Option
Words: 2671 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

Treatments of Bulimia Nervosa THE BEST OPTION Evaluation of Combined Therapy for Bulimia Nervosa Description and Significance Bulimia nervosa, simply bulimia or BN, refers to uncontrolled overeating or binging and then eliminating what has been eaten (SJH, 2012; Grange et al., 2004). Recent reports show alarming increases in the incidence, which now adolescents and pre-adolescents. The latest population statistics say that about 27.3 of the U.S. population is between 12 and 19 years old.

Treatment Non-Adherence When a Patient Is Given
Words: 1062 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Treatment Non-Adherence When a patient is given a regimen by a doctor, or otherwise is advised as to how to get healthy with certain specific steps to take (including medications), but does not heed the advice of the physician, that is a clear-cut case of non-adherence. Another word used by Dutton is "compliance," and clearly there are problems for a patient that does not comply with what his or her physician

Treatment for Constipation Htn Seizure
Words: 877 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Treatments BEST TREATMENTS Constipation, Hypertension, Seizure Constipation This is the infrequent or difficult bowel evacuation (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012). While there are no strict standard for bowel elimination, it is generally believed that fewer than thrice a week constitutes constipation. Stools are usually hard and dry. Other common symptoms associated constipation include excessive straining during bowel evacuation, a sense of rectal blockage, a sense of incomplete evacuation and the need to perform manual measures

Treatment of Written Error Correction
Words: 10240 Length: 28 Document Type: Research Proposal

21-32; Lyster et al., 1999, pg. 457-467). Chaudron (1986, pg. 64-84) explained that the error correction exercise might not have statistical backup on its constrictive impact but nonetheless has proven to have a beneficial impact on the overall communicational skills of the students. Many researchers (Birdsong, 1989 as cited in Wen, 1999, pg. 1-22) agree that the benefits for adult ESL students are extensive as they learn the practical

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now