immigrant experience

immigrant experience

When one decides to immigrate to another place it is usually in hopes to enhance certain aspects of their lives in one way or another. Immigrants have different experiences adapting and being accepted depending on where they choose to live. In the two films West is West and East is East the immigrant experience represented is not hopeful. In West is West the main character Vikram experiences many tribulations in his attempt to get a US education. In East is East the whole family is faced with obstacles due to their immigrant father.

In West is West Vikram moves from India to San Francisco in hopes to attend an American school. Vikram arrives in San Francisco and is unable to find his sponsor family leaving him independent to start with. Without prior acceptance into any school Vikram has a difficult time with enrollment. He begins with the basics such as finding a place to stay. Within a short amount of time Vikram runs out of money and finds it difficult to pay for rent at the hotel that had been accommodating him. Without much choice Vikram is forced to work and luckily is able to negotiate a deal with the lady at the front desk who is thankfully Indian. Vikram had come to America in hopes for the good life but it seemed like his optimism was beginning to diminish. Vikram was looked upon as a nuisance by the customs agent. It seems like from the beginning Vikram was never given help or a fair opportunity to succeed. The customs agent was constantly on Vikrams case forcing him out of the country. Vikram was polite with the agent and attempted to explain his situation but got no sympathy in return. Vikram felt desperate and with no time to set a life up for himself in America he resorted to asking the one friend he had made to marry him. Vikram’s last attempt to stay in the country was at the expense of his cultural values. Although Vikram was able to get a job and survive, the experience was one big hardship that left him with no achievement and was...