Identity Configuration and Ideological Manipulation in Nicholas Gage's A Place for Us

Abstract

In Greek Americans: Struggle and Success, Charles Moskos contends: most significant change regarding Greek America in 1980s was growing awareness in mainstream United States of Greek-Americans as an identifiable ethnic (150). One of examples Moskos cites to substantiate his claim involves Nicholas Gage's personal narrative, Eleni, which, sociologist holds, became one of most critically acclaimed and widely read books of decade (150). The book, which was result of Gage's work as an investigative journalist, primarily records biography of Gage's mother (1) as well as part of author's autobiography. At same time, however, it also chronicles turbulent aspect of Greek history following Second World War: Greek Civil War (1944-1949). (2) Eleni was triumphantly reviewed in The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, and The New York Review of Books. The book not only attracted large readership, but was also appropriated by Reagan administration for political purposes. In his televised address to nation following his summit meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, former US President Ronald Reagan admitted that tragic mother's final plea in movie version of book, My children, moved him to support an agreement on disarmament that would ensure peace for all children of world. Considering historical and ideological context of time, Gage's lionization is intriguing. The author made his ethnic group ostensibly visible within American social, political, and cultural scene at time when US government was struggling to restrict flow of immigration, and when immigration was considered a volatile topic, devil's cocktail, indeed, of controversy and debate (Knippling xiii). Objections to admissions were initially voiced on basis of Cold War politics. More specifically, Reagan's ardent anti-Communist rhetoric stirred fears among Americans that certain groups might lack strong sense of commitment to democratic values. Furthermore, broad front against admissions arose in face of both increasing budgetary pressure--a result of Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative--and massive influx of refugees from around in 1970s. Therefore, Republicans were soon put in position of opposing mass immigration on grounds that it imposed burdensome costs in form of welfare and public aid. Nevertheless, despite US governmental politics that resulted in social, political, and cultural marginalization of groups at time, popularity of and critical acclaim for Eleni highlight causal relationship that exists between immigrant visibility on one hand and ideological use(s) of narratives on other. More specifically, once an narrative is endorsed by hegemonic culture and appropriated for specific ideological purposes, ethnic community whose history it represents moves from periphery into center of mainstream culture. (3) The ramifications of Gage's emergence and empowerment within US hegemonic culture become more obvious if one considers sequel to Eleni, A Place for Us, Gage's autobiographical narrative of his immigration to and life in US. Assuming guise of Nick, autobiographical narrator, Gage presents his personal narrative as the recollection of an who arrived at mid-century, old enough to be molded by traditions left behind but young enough to belong in this new world (16). Gage's carefully constructed discourse of mediation between Old and New World--Greece and US respectively--negotiates personal legitimization of within host culture of America while at same time appealing to familial bonds of home country, Greece. In this sense, Nick's claim to an aspect of his national identity as Greek is further reinforced by subsequent allusion to his ancestral ties: our odyssey is as old as nation: arduous journey across bridge that separates an old familiar from new and frightening one, to find place for ourselves on other side (16, my emphasis). …