Reaching American status

            Immigrants that come to the United States are often referred to and labeled by wherever they come from.  However, many of these immigrants want to and refer to themselves as Americans after being in the United States.  When does a person ever become “American”?  Many people struggle with the difference between their new life and their old lifestyle and traditions and how they want to be viewed.  In Bharati Mukherjee’s Jasmine, the main character comes to the United States and struggles with her identity and who she really is.  At the end of the novel, she has taken on an individualistic trait and views herself as wholly American.

When Jasmine lives in New York with her new family of Taylor, Wylie, and Duff, a problem arises.  Wylie meats a new man named Stuart and is seriously contemplating leaving Taylor behind to be with him.  Wylie tells Jane, “…but this is my chance at real happiness” (pg. 181).  Wylie has that individualistic quality and is thinking about herself in the regard that she wants to do what is best for her and not for her family.  This is an American trait given the amount of divorces in American society today as compared to other cultures which experience them in lower numbers for the sake of the family.  Throughout the novel, Jasmine is very worried about everyone else and no so much herself.  However, at the end of the novel, Jane leaves Bud in Iowa to leave with Taylor and Duff in going to California.  Upon leaving, Jane thinks to herself, “Watch me re-position the stars” (240) and she is “…greedy with wants…” (241).

For the first time Jane is thinking about herself as she leaves so she can be truly happy with Taylor.  She is truly in love with Taylor and always has been.  As soon as Taylor shows up, Jasmine thinks to herself, “…I know why I haven’t married Bud” (239).  Jasmine leaves with Taylor and in this sense she is very much like Wylie.  She leaves her family and everything else behind in order for a true chance at happiness.  This is a very American concept and it’s at this moment that Jasmine truly knows what it is like to be American.  She has shed her old heritage and ways and is ready to branch out into something new. 

The icing on the cake is the dilemma that Jasmine faces before she leaves with Taylor.  She thinks to herself, “I am caught between the promise of America and old-world dutifulness” (240). At this point, Jane tramsfroms from a "care-giver" to a "pleasure seeker."  Ultimately she decides upon the promise of America and Taylor and heading west to California for a new opportunity for her life.  She is reaching for happiness just like Wylie did.  Indeed, Jasmine has truly become identified as being an “American.”

While the end of the book wraps up with Jane feeling "American" and going on a new journey to become happy, Mukherjee is not necesairly advocating this American spirit of individualism.  Wylie and Jane both left their families and while this is good for themselves, it completely destroys the family they leave behind.  Taylor was heartbroken and Bud will be completely destroyed as his adopted son and Jane have both left him.  He has always asked Jane to marry him and she has never accepted.  While it is good for Wylie and Jane individually, it is devestating to the families left behind.  Furthermore, Mukherjee provides another character in Lilian Gordon as a person who helps people in need.  American's like to be identified with this trait as we help out the poor, other countries, and people in time of need.  Lilian takes in Jasmine when she first gets to America and takes care of her and sets her up with her daughter in New York.  Indeed, Mukherjee is giving an example that Americans are also kind hearted people with good intentions.  This provides a unique contrast throughout the novel of what it is to be an American.  Overall, these are two standards that Americans as a whole identify with.