Revised Jeremy Lin Essay(did on paper on accident)

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 athletics was not seen as a traditional or stable pursuit. Because Bob’s family placed a strong emphasis on protecting their traditions and maintaining stability, activities like sports may have seemed risky or unimportant compared to more practical careers. This shows how culture can quietly guide an individual toward certain choices without them even realizing it. 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 suggests that Lin grew up in a culture that was more open to blending traditional Chinese values with Western ideas like sports and individual achievement. Because of this environment, Lin may have felt more freedom to pursue basketball without feeling like he was going against his cultural expectations. Bob and Jeremy's stories show that while culture might push individuals toward certain paths, individuals still have the ability to decide how much those cultural expectations will influence their choices.

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 more 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 in the beginning highlights how cultural stereotypes prevented people from recognizing Bob’s potential and shows how deeply these expectations affected the way success was viewed. It creates a sense of disappointment about opportunities that may have been lost because people felt pressured to follow traditional paths. However, the tone later becomes more hopeful as Jen focuses on the impact Jeremy Lin could have on future generations. By showing that younger Asian-American athletes can now look up to Lin, she suggests that cultural expectations are beginning to shift. This hopeful tone encourages readers to believe that stereotypes do not have to control their futures and that individuals can push past those limits.

Gish Jen's use of evidence and tone conveys the message that cultures only create foundations for individuals and it is up to them 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 ultimately 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.