Opression in Sui Sin Far's ''In the Land of the Free'' and Paul Laurence Dunbar's ''The Ingrate''
What first came to mind while comparing the two stories, are the overall situations the main characters are in while being oppressed. These are also the biggest differences. In Dunbar's story there is Josh, who is a slave of the white American Mr. Leckler. Josh is being oppressed in the most clear and noticeable way, as being a slave meant to be someone's ''property'' without having any rights. He had to do what he was being told to, such as doing plastering work at other family's houses. In Sui Sin Far's story the oppression is not as noticeable at first. The custom's officers work by the law of the country and while taking the child away from their parents because it has no papers, they tell them that it will only take one or two days until the papers from the government are confirmed so the child can live in America. Only after reading on, it becomes clear that the family is being oppressed from the American government. It takes ten months before they get their child back and only because they gave all their jewels to buy their own child back. Also in ''The Ingrate's'' story money should've been the only option for Josh to stop his oppression. So the payment plays a big part in both stories and makes them very similar in the answer, how to end the oppression.
Significance of the title ''In the Land of the Free''
After reading the story, the first thing that I thought was how unfitting the title seems to be for the happenings in the story. At first the title would be fitting, as Lae Choo was so happy and excited to finally be back in America, reuniting with her husband and bringing their son in, to live a happy and good live. Her husband was working there for a long time and had his own shop with a stable income. They were also living in their own house. They wanted to live a ''free'' live. But living a free live was only meant for the people who got their papers signed by the government. There was no freedom otherwise and the only way to get to that freedom was by paying. Having conditions on freedom makes the whole title very ironic because the true meaning of freedom is not given. So I would say the title only describes the thoughts and hopes Lae Choo has before entering with her son and her dreams being shattered.
I liked your insights on the significance of the title for "In the Land of the Free". Freedom, indeed, should be meant for all people regardless of their race and background. However, I feel that most countries see it as strategically more realistic to offer rights and freedom for their citizens and being more strict with protocols with foreigners. This approach is definitely unfair and, on some levels, inhumane as freedom should be for all, regardless of race and culture. Hopefully a day will come where a truly free country exits where freedom is given to everybody and anybody.
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I am a bit late, but thank you for your great comment on my post. What you are saying is a sad truth and hopefully one day we will hear the term ''Freedom for all'' and act like it's real meaning. But until then, I do find it reasonable and understandable that countries have their restrictions and policies. I won't say it's good, but as the world is not one big country, the thing we can do is approche and communicate as much as we do right now. -Kat
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