Reading Log for The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen
I was greatly impressed by the self-giving love when reading the first part of the story. Shadrach Cohen responded to all of his sons' requests for money even his sons urged him to give up what they seemed un-American. I asked myself why Cohen just put up with all these without any complaint. Finally I figured out that it was love. The author didn't write out how much Cohen loved his son, but I can definitely tell that from the context, from the way how Abel and Gottlieb treated their old father and how their father treated them in return. I like this writing strategy which helped me to get a better comprehension about the characters.
I like the idea the author expressed in the second part of the story: being part of a different culture doesn't necessarily means one has to abandon everything he gets from the origin one. I thought the Americanization of Shadrach Cohen would turn out to be like his sons'. Actually, Cohen did better. He accepted the virtue of the American people while keeping his own religion and lifestyle. I really appreciate that. The author gave us guidance when we encountered culture conflict, which I would follow if faced with the same circumstances.
