Tag Archives: American Dream

Ingraining Responsibility Proverb

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 21

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Connecticut, USA

Date of Performance: February 13, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Text: “You reap what you sow.” 

Context: The informant’s parents often used this proverbial saying during high school, especially when they were falling behind on assignments or goals. It was a reminder to take responsibility and stay on top of things. Whenever the informant struggled or didn’t get the results they expected, their parents would remind them that effort directly leads to outcomes. It was a way to teach the value of hard work and staying committed, especially during challenging times.

Analysis: This saying emphasizes personal responsibility and the importance of hard work, with a focus on long-term outcomes rather than immediate gratification. It suggests a relationship between actions and consequences, mirroring the work ethic valued in many cultures, particularly in Western beliefs. In Western societies, the idea of “you reap what you sow” closely aligns with the notion of the “American Dream,” which emphasizes that individuals can achieve success through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. The informant’s recollection highlights how this proverb functions as a reminder that success isn’t just about talent, but about consistent effort and discipline. This aligns with the Western belief that individuals are responsible for their own achievements, and that the effort put forth will directly determine the results, reinforcing the values of personal responsibility and self-reliance.

Motivation/American Dream Proverb

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 21

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Connecticut, USA

Date of Performance: February 13, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Text: “The early bird gets the worm.” 

Context: This proverb was often shared by the informant’s parents throughout his childhood, particularly during his school years. Whenever the informant procrastinated on assignments, especially when the due date was approaching, his parents would remind him to stay ahead of his responsibilities with this saying. 

Analysis: This saying highlights the importance of getting ahead of things, working hard, and being disciplined. It taps into a major value in American culture, where the idea of the “American Dream” suggests that anyone can achieve success if they’re willing to put in the effort. The “early bird” idea is all about seizing opportunities and not waiting until the last minute, which speaks to the drive for success that’s so common in the U.S. The informant’s experience shows how this proverb wasn’t just some old piece of wisdom—it was a practical tool for getting things done, especially when it came to schoolwork. It reinforces the belief that taking initiative, being responsible, and staying ahead of your tasks can help you succeed, something that’s at the heart of how success is often viewed in Western culture.

Having a successful child is a blessing

Nationality: Vietnamese
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Performance Date: 4/27/2015
Primary Language: Vietnamese
Language: English

Informant: “In Vietnamese culture, there’s this very popular saying which is

‘Con hơn cha là nhà có phúc’

which means, if the child is…This is very loosely translated, but ‘if the child is better than the father, then the house is blessed’. So ‘better’ in terms of not that the father is a bad person, but that the father worked hard enough to raise a child that was more successful than him. So

‘if the child is more successful than the father, then the house is blessed,’

which means good family, good parenting, and good lineage. So in Vietnamese culture, or especially Vietnamese immigrants who came to America after the war, a lot of the children of these immigrants were succeeding when their parents didn’t really have anything, like, a lot of these kids of immigrants were going to college and being the first ones in their families to go to college and get a PhD or become a doctor or something. And this is something where if the parents would be talking to each other, and I guess bragging about their kids, they would say ‘oh, my son is successful now, more than my parents and more than us,’ and that was supposed to be a huge blessing.”

Informant is a student at the University of Southern California. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam after the Vietnam war. She was born in the United States, and was raised bilingually by her parents (though she says that Vietnamese “Is definitely [her] primary language at home”). Most of her knowledge of Vietnamese culture comes from her upbringing in he Vietnamese family in an area where a lot of immigrants from Vietnam settled. Additionally, when she was growing up, she learned a lot about her Vietnamese heritage through “Temple School” which she described as “Like Christian Boy Scouts, except for Vietnamese Buddhists”.

Collector Analysis: This particular proverb does an excellent job of showing the family-centric nature of Vietnamese culture. This is also a very good depiction of the American Dream, the idea that you can come to America with nothing, and be successful enough through your own hard work to give your children a better upbringing than you yourself may have had.