Culture is the building block for life. It sets society's standards, it sets our own standards, and everything we know is all because of our culture. Culture is a way of thinking, a way of behaving and learning. We express our opinions based upon our beliefs, and define ourselves by what aspects of our culture we choose to show. Culture's impact on someone's perspective of others and the world is greater than its other influences because it can change how you interact with people, your ability to change, and your opinions of the world. Without the knowledge of what culture is and does, we as a society would be lost.
"An Indian Father's Plea," an essay by Robert Lake, explains the ways in which a difference in culture can affect someone's
…show more content…
The narrator says "but that is a mistake. I know even before I wake up. Who ever knew a Johnson with a quick tongue? Who can even imagine me looking a strange white man in the eye? It seems to me I have talked to them always with one foot raised in flight with my head turned in whichever way is farthest from them" (Walker). The narrator seems to think that the way she interacts with people is set in stone, that because she's a Johnson, she cannot change the way she speaks, or the bravery she has. She has limited herself and the same can be assumed for past generations. Her oldest child, Dee, seems to be break this template for that same reason. The story explains how Dee changed her name to Wangero, not wanting to be named after her oppressors. Her mother then explains that the name "Dee" has been passed down from past generations of Johnson's. The narrator of the story let her culture define her, not change her unlike her daughter who used her culture to better …show more content…
The memoir starts off by the author recalling her first day of school, where the teacher immediately changes the names of the author and her sister to make things easier for herself, and replaced the names with what she calls "pretty English names". In doing that the teacher had belittled the entirety of their culture, with no intent to apologize for doing so. The author states "the headmistress had been in India, I suppose, fifteen years or so, but she still smiled her helpless inability to cope with Indian names" (Rama Rau). The author's sister, Premila, eventually decided to take her sister and herself out of that school due to racist comments and actions that her teacher made. She said, "we had our test today, and she made me and the other Indians sit at the back of the room with a desk between each one. She said it was because Indians cheat" (Rama Rau). Santha and Premila's culture affected the the opinions of their teachers and because of that, it also affected the way they were
Similarly, as first-generation immigrants in Canada, my family faced the challenge of preserving our Hindu religious practices amidst adapting to a new country. Despite the loss of certain traditions like the daily pooja observed by my family members in Sri Lanka, my family continues to maintain other customs such as observing vegetarianism during Navaratri to honor Saraswathi, illustrating a selective continuity of our cultural and religious identity. This parallel with Treuer’s experience illuminates how, despite slight deviations from traditional observances, parents strive to impart to us a meaningful connection to our heritage, prioritizing educational success as a reflection of our cultural values. Furthermore, this raises questions about the future transformation of religious and cultural teachings as individuals migrate from their traditional homelands to become minorities in new regions, pondering how these traditions will evolve or blend within the mosaic of global
Culture affects people’s perspectives of the world and others through their upbringing and how, when, and where they were raised. In the essay, “An Indian Father’s Plea,” Robert Lake writes about how his Indian child’s traditional way of learning is different from those in western education systems and that he's not a “slow” learner but learns in a different way from his peers. In the personal essay, “Two Ways to Belong in America,” Bharati Mukherjee describes her differing views of living in America with her sister, despite both being raised in India. In the poem, “My Mother Pieced Quilts,” by Teresa Palomo Acosta, Teresa how this quilt that her mother made for her involves all these pieces of her past that are stitched together. In the
Immigrants’ refusal to appreciate a fused culture promotes division. Mukherjee questions the idea of immigrants losing their culture for American ideals: “Parents express rage or despair at their U.S.-born children's forgetting of, or indifference to, some aspects of Indian culture,” to that Mukherjee asks, “Is it so terrible that our children are discovering or are inventing homelands for themselves?” (Mukherjee, 1997, para. 28). Many immigrants experience anger when their children no longer hold the ideals of their home country. This tension produced within the household hinders the unity within a resident country’s culture and encourages division within families. Using herself as an example, Mukherjee provides another instance of anger directed at her from her own subculture: “They direct their rage at me because, by becoming a U.S.
As she began working with South Asian women with family problems, making their problems like her own, she slowly started to find solid ground of identity for herself. This ended up becoming a very valuable experience by helping women of her own culture. She eventually found a way to heal her own wound and returned to her cultural identity. Going back to my story, the morning after the argument, I woke up with my father next to me. I recall my father telling me that if I do not want to, he is not going to force me to take ceramic classes with me. For the first time, I had a deep father-son conversation with him, and shared him what happened a year ago in my school. He hugged me so tight, as he saw nothing about what I said but a deep passion towards ceramics and pots. He told me, “What classmates? You mean the one we left in Philippines? The irrelevant people in your life?” My father’s words struck me hard, I completely understood what he meant, that irrelevant people’s words and criticism means nothing. After a good breakfast, I helped my dad pick ceramic classes we are going to take. Ever since then, I have been going to a ceramic class at least once a week, even after my father went back to Philippines. This shows that every history and cultures deserve respect, and to attempt to live life with full of
In The Woman Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston uses talk-stories to illustrate the necessity of finding one’s voice or identity when trapped between the expectations of two clashing cultures. In “No Name Woman,” Kingston has difficulty with sorting fact from fiction in her mother’s talk-stories, and “[separating] what is peculiar to childhood, to poverty, insanities, one family, [her] mother who marked [her] growing with stories, from(...) Chinese tradition and [the] movies” (5-6). Kingston grows up in a world she only knows through her mother, who “marked [her] growing with stories,” creating a world for Kingston which she can only dream about. She struggles to ascertain the difference between Chinese culture and “the movies,” because the only
Although many have claimed culture does not affect their views, time and time again the culture that we live in will affect our lives, even if we do not want it to. Perspectives that influence others' cultures can show what people often stand for. In “Sanjay's Heroes,” Sanjay's father has a look of disappointment in his eyes
Throughout life people are typically taught that knowledge is power. They are encouraged to attend Higher Learning educational institutions in order to pursue a better future. In the short story “Everyday use” by Alice Walker, she depicts that Heritage can be interpreted in different ways; experimentally and academically. Walker’s story implies that learning one’s Heritage is crucial. Dee, the daughter in the story, shows a better understanding of her Heritage with the knowledge she gained from her college experience.
Culture is a set of ideals and values about life that are widely shared among people and that guide specific behaviors. Differences, as well as similarities, can be seen when comparing world cultures. We communicate with each other, we feed ourselves with food, and when we sleep we often dream. However, we speak different languages, eat different types of foods, and dream different ways. We call these cultural differences. What causes them is not always obvious to the ordinary person (Nancy). I feel culture is what really sets us apart from each other and what makes us unique as individuals and families.
Like Dee’s clothing, Dee changing her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo demonstrates “her fascination with Africanism but she has a lack of concern for her family heritage” (Korenman 146). Dee does not see in front of her that her real name Dee is actually from her family roots and that her name can be traced back to her family from the Civil War. It shows that Dee is ignorant for not realising that she is already connected to her real roots through her name and that she does not have to change her name to feel like she has truly embraced her real heritage. According to Sam Whitsitt, Dee has clearly disconnected herself with her true name and that “he return seems less a return than a passing by; she appears a curious visitor who has momentarily stopped off a road which began and ends elsewhere” (448). This proves that Dee is now a stranger to her real family because when she changed her name it meant that she has started a new life with a new identity.
In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use”, Walker juxtaposes two different daughters in their quest for a cultural identity. The narrator, their mother, talks about how each daughter is different; Dee went off to college and became well-educated, contrary to their impoverished and low status as black women in the south. Meanwhile, Maggie isn’t nearly as educated as Dee is, but is still literate. The entire story centers around Dee’s visit with her new Muslim significant other. The story’s climax is when Dee wants to take two special quilts back home, but those quilts are for Maggie. These precious quilts comprise their culture. Henceforth, Dee does not deserve to take the quilts with her because she has decided to take on a culture that varies significantly from her own and she is already used to getting what she wants.
Indian-Americans ranging from ages 16-24 that are first generation Americans undergo the stages of minority identity development. They are commonly placed in environments which force them to question their own identity. As they communicate with peers, they question themselves and their personal beliefs and customs. Occasionally, they view the majority culture as better than their own and may develop negative feelings of their Indian household upbringing. One may feel the need to internalize the values of the dominant culture of the community and change to fit the status quo. This is especially difficult for Indian-Americans because so many things that they are taught within the home are not normal for the majority culture therefore presenting a major division and causing an uproar in the home. Parents tend to view “normal” majority culture attributes as
A daughter who uses her mother's gifts in contrast to a daughter who preserves them, is far more valuable just like in “Everyday use” by Alice Walker because heritage values can be preserved. From here on, Walker utilizes a prideful tone which later shifts into an authoritative tone by illustrating a proud mother who becomes defensive because of her modern daughter’s opposing views.
Culture is a way of life. It can be defined as a group of people linked by geographical location, ethnicity, gender or age. Culture can be reflected through language, clothing, food, behavior, spirituality and traditions. The behavioral patterns developed through culture are difficult to change.
Culture is a key aspect of a human that reflects on their lifestyle, family, traditions and pulls together the external influences that play a role in how one chooses to live their life. For me, culture is something you collect throughout your lifetime. In my lifetime, I have been lucky enough to travel outside of the United States and meet people from all over the world. I have seen how people go about their daily routines in many different ways compared to mine. The main cultural influence that has been present in my life since day one is the closeness of my family. All my cousins are very close it has often odd when I hear about families with weak relationships and small size. Another influence that has shaped my behavior was my exposure of extreme poverty and extreme wealth while living in Mexico. Lastly, a cultural influence that has shaped my belief system is my education.
A person’s heritage and cultural identity may be lost when moving to a new country where the culture is different and other cultures are not easily accepted. In the short story “Hindus”, Bharati Mukherjee uses setting, characters and the plot to discuss what it is like to lose your cultural identity while being a visible minority in America. Mukherjee uses the plot to describe the events that take place in the main characters life that lead her to realize how different the culture and life is in the America’s. She also uses the characters as a way of demonstrating how moving away from one’s culture and heritage can change a person’s perspective and ways of thinking. Mukerjee also uses setting in her story to identity the physical differences in culture between living in India and America. Alike the setting and characters, the plot helps describe the loss of culture with a sequence of events.