American Identity? Melting Pot...or Tossed Salad?

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I have been continuing with reading Chapter 3 in our textbook on the diversity of students. One section of the chapter that caught my eye in particular was the section on the metaphors concerning the U.S identity. Cultural, racial, and ethnic differences are one of the most uncomfortable things for many people to talk about. Tension arises when people of different backgrounds talk about these subjects with one another. The United States is a very culturally diverse society, yet the topic of a multicultural society is not one that is really spoken of amongst the different races.

Back when there was a huge influx of immigrants in the early 1900’s, the United States became known as a “Melting Pot”. This name came from the fact that all the different cultures just “melted” together into one culture which was the American culture. This “melting pot” was a reality for most immigrants who were assimilated into the American way of life. Thus “melting metaphor” really entails the immigrants forgetting where they came from and their old culture so that they can be fully immersed in the American culture.

Another metaphor was that the United States was a “tossed salad” rather than a “melting pot”. Thus “tossed salad” consisted of many different vegetables tossed together. Rather than all melting together into one big “American” culture, the “tossed salad” metaphor advocates that that immigrants maintained parts of their culture. The differences amongst the different cultures should be embraced and it is not right to make immigrants forget their native language and way of life.