Monkey Dance and Laotian Daughters

Andrew Vo

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In Laotian Daughters, Shah talks about how the young and language plays an important role in

in connecting the adults/parents of immigrant families to American society. Language itself is a very

important tool in allowing for communication between two or more different groups. Immigrants

who came to America hardly are able speak the language here making it very hard to live and survive

where everything is different from what they know. However, immigrant's offspring are able to learn

the language here and their parent's language allowing them the ability to communicate between

the two worlds that makes up their lives. Immigrant's children are able to translate and help them

maneuver and cope with the American society much easier with the knowledge of two language.

Personally myself, I have helped my mom countless of times with things she does not understand or

read. But even now, the new generation of offspring of immigrants may have their own agenda in

their current situation. Which leads into the Monkey Dance where we see how kids have to grow

up in the environment they were placed in and trying to make the most of what they have. Even with

poor conditions, kids are held up to certain expectations that their parents want them to meet. But

in living in this environment comes with the conflict of multiple cultures. One of the kids worked to

his money into improving his car which is a culture that has come up in American society. There

were also other kids who participated in activities and events that promotes the culture that their

parents know. The generation of kids from the immigrant generation have to find the balance

between their two cultures with the tools and abilities they have.