Because of its multi-cultural properties, America is commonly regarded as a "melting pot" in which all cultures can live freely. An American story is characterized by differences in culture and enhanced by perspectives from outsiders living in America. Two stories supporting the notion that an American story is characterized by differences in culture are in "If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?" and Tony's Story. Geeta Kothari's narrative "If You Are What You Eat, Then What Am I?" is written through the perspective of an outsider immersed into a new culture, and revolves around Kothari's life as an Indian emigrant living in a dominant American culture. Using the language of her developing taste buds, Kothari reflects upon key moments in her life with the complex relationship she has with food. The first paragraph reveals that Kothari desperately wants to be part of the American culture, emphasized in her want "to eat what the kids at school eat: bologna, hot dogs, salami" (91). A tuna salad dish also acts as a symbol for Kothari's shame in her and her mother's ignorance of American food, thus in their ignorance of American culture. The second paragraph reveals that Kothari is no longer an outsider in that she associates typical American junk foods such as fried chicken, glazed doughnuts, and French fries with ketchup with feelings of home, nostalgia, and comfort. This paragraph also shows that Kothari's perception of herself as a non-foreigner could perhaps be an illusion, as she still is different from most Americans in that her friends all "have houses". A few paragraphs later, Kothari is an adult who regrets suppressing her native culture. Kothari's repulsion of her American boyfriend stems from the fact he eats the meats Kothari had once desperately wanted as a child. She associates the smell of meat with her past desire to fit in with American culture, and begins to worry that she will forget the wonderful tastes of her cultu