Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

In the 1800’s and the early 1900’s, some people named America “the melting pot”. Thousands and thousands of immigrants from around the world were coming into the United States in hope of a better life. Most people imagined that all these different cultures were being poured into a giant pot called America, heated to a low boil and molded into one kind of person. If one steps back and thinks about this theory, it is not entirely true. In fact, it is not really true at all. If one takes a closer look at America today, one sees millions of people labeled Americans but not by how they act, what religions they practice and what kind of food they eat but where they are born. Many recent US immigrants try to keep their individual ethnic identity because it is a helpful tool in learning about their ancestors. At the same time they also understand that learning some aspects of American culture is very vital. Nowadays, even within gateway cities that give the outward appearance of being multicultural. When describing the ethnic diversity of a bellwether mega city such as Los Angeles, many residents speak of the great mosaic of many people. Anna Quindlen, in her essay “Making the Mosaic”, states that all Americans are part of