Assimilation

    Assimilation means to be someone who you were not born to be. In other words to be associated with a distinct group than originally.
    In the play A Raisin in the Sun, Ruth worries about assimilation a lot more than any other character. Ruth doesn't step up for herself or take any kind of actions that affects her or anyone else's life. She just goes with the flow and lets others put things into place.
    By Ruth worrying so much about assimilation, we can easily see this is one of her biggest weaknesses. Ruth will never become her own person if she continues to act how she is through out the play. It is easy for people to do things for you, but it is definitely a lot better to do things for yourself and be a strong independent person, especially if it is the independence of a woman.
    In my eyes people assimilate all the time. Sometimes in good ways, but most of the time in bad. I see people all the time who act as if they do not speak nor understand Spanish, although they are of Mexican descent. It is bothersome to see people do this just to fit in. I am not to sure if I have ever done it, but if I have it is not intentionally.
    Eric, in Lui's notes of Native Speakers, doesn't believe assimilation is a bad thing. He himself has assimilated with the American culture, because as he grew he started forgetting about his past culture of China.