Page "America Is in the Heart" Paragraph 13

Ironically, it is Bulosan ’ s success and America Is in the Heart ’ s dominance in the study of Filipino-American literature that may have a greater impact of then his actual words.

There is great debate whether the agenda for Filipino American writers should be, “ to exile themselves from the home country or to accept the status of a hyphenated American or to find a bridge between the two .”< ref > Hebbar, Reshmi.

" Filipino American Literature.

" Emory University --- English Department " Where Courageous Inquiry Leads " Apr .- May 1998.

Web.

17 Apr.

2011.

< http :// english. emory. edu / Bahri / Filipino. html >.</ ref > King-Kok Cheung believes that Bulosan is so celebrated due to a lack of attention to Filipino American writers “ whose exilic writings did not fit with the immigrant ethos ” of America.

One of Bulosan ’ s most important themes as a writer was the importance to find one ’ s identity in America.

Bulosan reveals his faith and love for America in the end of America Is in the Heart.

This sentiment is repeated in an essay entitled Be American, where Bulosan described American citizenship as a “ most cherished dream ”.

Even if his writing did seem more conducive to the accepted image of immigrants, Bulosan opened the door for later writers to push the envelope of acceptance.

Filipino-American writers of more recent years, such as Ninotchka Rosca and Linda Ty-Casper, have continued to highlight the complexity of a totally unified Filipino-American identity.