| Summary: | This thesis discusses cultural identity experienced by Arab Americans in Abu
Jaber�s Arabian Jazz and Crescent. This study aims to examine they way the characters
in Arabian Jazz and Crescent adapt to thier society as they suffer intolerance, and to
examine the way the characters in the two novels form their cultural identity. The
analysis is conducted by using sociological approach as the approach concentrates on
the social context of writing or on the literary text and its social meaning.
Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that the characters in the two novels
adapt to the surroundings in repose to the injustice by different coping strategies.They
choose to approach the world of the white by joining Jazz band, and the principle of
searching a white husband.. Since Jazz is considered as the symbol of struggle by the
black, the characters seem to articulate their desire to be accepted as the white accepts
the black. Getting a white husband is considered to be effective to make them closer to
the life of the white and help them to avoid intolerance by the white.
The way the characters form their cultural identity varies. The characters try to
preserve their original culture through he use the memory of food to preserve the Arab
values and at the same present the food in the American way, a cafe. The existence of
cafe with its rich the discussions reflect how the Arab-American characters use the cafe
as the site to melt the discussion of the whites and the memory of Arab. This adaption,
inserting past memory, is used to preserve the value of Arab in their community. These
attitudes portray how the Arab American are aware of their identity. They want to be
accepted in the white society but at the same time they still want to preserve the Arabic
culture.This struggle also results in the ambivalnce. The characters seems to give
higher values on the American reference. Jazz is used to struggle as what the black
American did. However, all band mates are the white. American or European brand is
more preferable than Arab brand. A paralel story associated to the story in Great
Gatsby is more preferable than the story from Arab. All of these put the struggle of
identity by Arab-Americans in ambivalence.This ambivalence becomes a part of their
cultural identity
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