Assimilation

   To assimilate means trying to fit in.  It's like you don't like who you are or where you come from so you strive to be someone or something your not. 
   In A Raisin In The Sun Beneatha tries so hard no to be who she is.  She has done so many extra curricular activities but never stuck with one because it was never her thing.  She doesn't like her family and how they act and she especially doesn't like how no one pays attention to her.  She wants to be a doctor and she will step on anyone she has to to get there. 
   I personally think it is shown as a weakness as well as a strength because it shows how Beneatha perseveres what she wants out of life but it also shows how she can be thought of as immature and childish.
   Throughout the halls I see tons of people assimilating.  But I never notice until I spend time with them alone and away from a crowd.  Most people can't really help it because they are embarrassed of their background or scared to let anyone in their life, but not one person can say they never assimilated. 
   I think it's more guys that act that way of school because they are always trying to act tough and gangster but in reality they are not tough and gangster.  And I'm not saying girls don't do it because they do, but girls do it differently.  Girls go around and act like they own the place but they really don't.  They try to act like they are better than everyone else and they usually just spread fake gossip all over the place, but that's only because they want someone to notice them.  Everyone just wants to feel wanted and like they belong that's we have groups everywhere!  A group of nerds and a group of skaters and a group of gangsters and a group of athletes and a group of girly girls etc. 
   I will be the first to admit that I have assimilated before but that was in sixth or seventh grade.  I no longer assimilate, I am content with who I am and where I come from and I will pick that over my friends any time of day.  I find it time consuming and exhausting pretending to be something your not when all you can do is act normal.
   Eric Liu expresses how he assimilated throughout his whole life.  He was a Chinese man who wanted to be white so badly.  He would point out how his family did things way differently from his friends families.  But then he realized that he didn't want to be white, he wanted to be himself but he couldn't change anymore.  He realized all he did wrong and thought it was a bad thing but in reality it was who he was and who he was born to be.