Jeremy Lin Essay (original and AI)

Original: 

In a time when Asian-Americans faced stereotypes preventing their athletic skills from being recognized. Jeremy Lin's achievements raised questions on the meaning of the Asian culture and it's relationship with sports. Gish Jen uses evidence and tone to convey the message that cultures influcence individuals but only to the extent to which we allow it to.

Jen uses evidence throughout the essay to bring to demonstrate how two different cultures can influence the paths of two seemingly similar individuals. They use a personal example "The elder Chuas came from a rich chinese enclave in the Philippines. Faced with a hostile native population, they circled wagons and emphasized tradition" to show how Bob's path was likely modified by his culture in a way that suppressed his talent since it wasn't traditional. Jen then goes on to talk about Jeremy Lin's culture and how in Taiwan, "Chinese-ness now included many western notions" which would have allowed him to pursue his dreams for freely. Bob and Jeremy's stories go to show that while an individual's culture might push them to one side, the indvidual can still break free and choose for themselves the extent to which they will allow themselves to be pushed.

Jen also incorportates the use of tone to inspire others to look past their culture's boundaries achieve and achieve whatever they set their mind to. He switches from a negative a regretful tone in the beginning "and yet my parents did not root for him" to a more hopeful and futuristic tone "who knows what will happen know that the athletic Asian-American kids can say 'Look at Jeremy'?" to show how culture pushed two similar individuals to follow different yet inspiring paths. The author hopes to inspire to the younger generation of Asian-Americans and help them realize that their paths are not determined by their culture's stereotypes, but by the importance they are willing to give these stereotypes.

Gish Jen's use of evidence adn tone conveys the message that cultures only create foundations for individuals and it is up to them on whether they will build upon it or create a new one. He writes to encourage people to push past limits that are placed in front of them and look beyond what they or society thinks is possible.

AI Revised:

In a time when Asian-Americans faced stereotypes preventing their athletic skills from being recognized, Jeremy Lin's achievements raised questions on the meaning of Asian culture and its relationship with sports. Gish Jen uses evidence and tone to convey the message that cultures influence individuals but only to the extent to which we allow it to.

Jen uses evidence throughout the essay to demonstrate how two different cultures can influence the paths of two seemingly similar individuals. She uses a personal example: “The elder Chuas came from a rich Chinese enclave in the Philippines. Faced with a hostile native population, they circled wagons and emphasized tradition” to show how Bob's path was likely modified by his culture in a way that suppressed his talent since it wasn't traditional. By including this background, Jen helps the reader understand why Bob may not have seriously pursued athletics even if he had the potential to succeed. His family’s focus on protecting their traditions and maintaining stability likely made sports seem impractical or risky compared to more secure careers. This evidence allows Jen to show how cultural values can quietly guide individuals toward certain life choices, not because they lack ability, but because their environment discourages them from exploring certain paths. Jen then goes on to talk about Jeremy Lin's culture and how in Taiwan, “Chinese-ness now included many western notions,” which would have allowed him to pursue his dreams more freely. This detail shows that Lin grew up in a culture that was more open to blending traditional Chinese identity with Western ideas such as athletics and individual achievement. Because of this, playing basketball did not necessarily feel like rejecting his culture. By presenting these two examples, Jen illustrates how culture can shape the opportunities individuals feel comfortable pursuing, while also reinforcing her larger message that these cultural influences are not absolute limits.

Jen also incorporates the use of tone to inspire others to look past their culture's boundaries and achieve whatever they set their mind to. She switches from a negative and regretful tone in the beginning, “and yet my parents did not root for him,” to a more hopeful and futuristic tone later in the essay: “who knows what will happen now that the athletic Asian-American kids can say ‘Look at Jeremy’?” The regretful tone early in the essay emphasizes how deeply stereotypes affected the way Asian-American success was viewed, even within families who may not have realized they were reinforcing those limits. By acknowledging this regret, Jen shows readers how cultural expectations can cause people to overlook talents that do not fit traditional ideas of success. However, the tone gradually becomes more hopeful as Jen discusses Jeremy Lin's influence. Instead of focusing only on missed opportunities, she begins to imagine how Lin’s visibility might change the way younger Asian-Americans see themselves. This shift in tone helps support Jen’s purpose by encouraging readers to see that cultural expectations can change when individuals challenge them. The hopeful tone invites the audience to believe that future generations may feel more freedom to pursue paths that were once discouraged.

Gish Jen's use of evidence and tone conveys the message that cultures only create foundations for individuals and it is up to them on whether they will build upon it or create a new one. While culture can strongly influence the decisions people make, it does not completely determine their future. Jen writes to encourage people to push past limits that are placed in front of them and look beyond what they or society thinks is possible.