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Who Will Light Incense When Mother 's Gone

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How does your identity define you? The definition of identity is “who or what a person is”. A writer named Andrew Lam reveals what personal identity means in “Who Will Light Incense When Mother 's Gone. In this non-fiction story, Lam moves to America, and he begins to emphasize who he is as an individual, rather than becoming a duplicate of his family. Since Lam moved to America, he does not recall his old ways of living, therefore he is on a quest for his identity presented by rejection, change, and new beginnings. All of a sudden, the family has moved to America, and Lam begins rejecting family functions. Since Lam came to America, he began the quest for his identity, whereas his mother already had an opposing idea of who he should be. For instance, his mother wanted him to speak Vietnamese in the household, but he replied “No. What good is it to speak Vietnamese, if I’m not going to use it after I move out” (Lam). Certainly, Lam utilizes the fact that he is in another country, so he will not have to speak his native language “Vietnamese”, in which this a way he rejects his culture. Likewise, since Lam moved from Vietnam to America his obedience and attitude differ, whereas in Vietnam, he was extremely respectful, however in America he has refused his old ways. Not to mention, Lam wanted to choose his own lifestyle, but also he wanted to make his own decisions in the process. The author states “I became rebellious/distant” indicating he was looking to escape

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