Ronald Takaki’s, A Different Mirror, sets off a voyage of retelling American history, however, the difference is that he includes the many minorities that took part of it. He does so by including pictures, songs, and firsthand account stories of people that lived in that era. Takaki talks about the great importance these races have in American history and how they, in fact, are part of it. He mentions that most Americans see America as a white country and view people who are not white through the “Master Narrative” filter. He defines the Master Narrative to be the teaching of American history from a white perspective, therefore enforcing the idea that Americans are only white people. Takaki challenges this idea by telling the history of a multicultural America in his book; he does so by telling a history that is inclusive of minorities, such as Mexican Americans. Therefore, teaching a more inclusive history vanishes the social distinction that separates white people and people of color. According to Takaki it is easy to misunderstand why many immigrants are not considered American; it is why he states that the master narrative is at fault. Many Americans see Mexican Americans as “aliens” and very foreign to this country. However, one …show more content…
Because of the Master Narrative, many Americans believe United States history and Americans are white. He argues that “A history that leaves out minorities reinforces separation, but an inclusive history bridges the divide” (Takaki, 435). Takaki believes in the idea that with enforcing the history of the minorities it will change the way the “other” ethnicities are seen in society. He explains that by teaching how the minorities help create this country erases the fixed ideology that only “white” people are considered Americans. Therefore changing the face of who truly is an