The story “America Ruined My Name for Me” By Beth Nguyen is about how a Vietnamese girl perceived her name when moved to America with the name Bich. Beth tells us about the decision to change her name and the impact that personal names have on her in America.
Bich is an ordinary name in Vietnam on the contrary in America, it is a different story. Bich can easily pronounce her name on the contrary her classmates or other people around her are various. She senses her Vietnamese name was a barb, a shame.
In addition, she says other kids love to decorate their name with stars and hearts, they always want it to be larger than other classmates. Their name gives them happiness and comfort on the contrary to her, it never felt like that, not even publications. Her name makes her feel pressure, barb, and shame. She doesn't even want to look at it.
She felt more comfortable with her name“Beth” due to the fact the pressure on the name“Bich” is getting out of her mind. When Bich changes her name to “Beth” it feels like “cool air from the refrigerator on a hot day”. It feels like she is a new person, no more tension, no more shame.
Moreover, Beth says the first time tell other people her name is Beth, it feels unreal, she feels like she is Beth not merely telling random names like Rose, Sophia anymore. Then more and more time she told people her name is Beth it makes her feel like she is in another life.
As you can see, Bich feels her name is a barb, a shame, on the contrary she feels comfortable, less pressure about changing her name to Beth. “Beth” is shifting her life to a different destination.
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