Social Elements Of Culture In Kaffir Boy

The literary pieces, Bad Boy and “I Was A Skinny Tomboy Kid”, are similar and different in many ways. Both present common themes that girls and boys are expected to have certain roles. Girls are expected to play with dolls, wear dresses, and care about makeup. Boys play sports, hate books and schooling. As a child, it’s hard to be yourself and show your true colors. Being different is quite difficult. Everyone is expected to be this way or that way, we are all special and unique.

Pakistani culture consists of many different ethnic groups, languages, gender roles, and religions. “It is the world's sixth most populous country, has an estimated population of 176 million. The annual population growth of 2.1% resulted in the population quadrupling in the past 50 years with 41% below age 15” (Marvi & Howard, 2013). The different ethnic groups that Pakistani culture consists of are, Punjabi which is the largest ethnic group, Pashtun, Sindhi, and smaller groups, Pakistan (2017). Due to the diversity in Pakistan, there are many languages spoken in Pakistani culture. English language is primarily taught in the schools. Another largely use language is Urdu, “which is the nation's unifying language”, Pakistan (2017). There are many other languages used in Pakistan which usually correlates with the ethnic group one is a part of.

However, the boys were viewed as “that’s just how boys are”. The gender roles were clearly reflected within out household. Boys had the expectations of getting a good job and provide for their family when they married. Girls were to get married, cook/clean and maintain the household, take care of the children and always remember that they were the moral compass of the family unit.

Many westerners critique the African way of life. Polygamous marriages in particular are a no-no, although these marriages actually have several advantages. Westerners also commonly blame the African countries’ governments for gender inequality, but Nnaemeka argues that patriarchy is to blame for gender inequality. The social customs that women adopt in order to please men and fit into society may also be to blame for the stress that many women feel. Women characters in O Herói, The Night of Truth, and Flame all try to keep up their physical appearances, nurture children, and follow men to an extent. Nonetheless, some of the same women characters that adhere to some social rules also break some of the social rules. Each director is trying to show African women in a new light. Despite the fact that one’s job should not be assigned based on gender, women are more likely to care for soldiers hiding out than actually fighting in wars. They still are in danger during war, however, and they account for many of the (civilian) deaths caused by war. Even those that are not killed put their lives in jeopardy when they allow soldiers to hide out. Women are probably the most important gender/sex of human beings. They can do many things that men do as well as things that men cannot do. If anything, the social structure should be

In the Maori tribe, the men had their place and the women had their place. Everybody in the community had their role to follow. The sociological myth of this movie was that everybody had a way of living; they had sets of rules to follow. This is what made the community and tribe be the way it was. The one person who actually tried to follow all of the laws and roles was Koro. He was the chief of the community and he had to show that he was by taking command and by influencing the younger people. Koro was the only one who continued to follow the tradition, that is, until he broke it by trying to find a male to be the next chief in town. He wasn’t supposed to go out and try to find one, he was supposed to choose the next child that his son would have.

You could see these many situations in the characters. The lads did outdoor activities and ‘dirty jobs’; explored, hunted, and built. Many of these stereotypes helped the boys; liking the outdoors helped them hunt and explore, doing ‘dirty jobs, made them want to build huts and a fire. One stereotype that isn’t very positive is that men are in charge. This thought lead to political problems, which lead to a split of the group and the death of some characters. Since guys and girls characteristics are much different, girls would do many different

The boys' struggle to find a way of existing in a community with no fixed boundaries invites readers to evaluate the concepts involved in social and political constructs and moral frameworks. Ideas of community, leadership, and the rule of law are called into question as the reader has to consider who has a right to power, why, and what the consequences of the acquisition of power may be.

Education proves to be a major factor in this transition, as the newly educated class demands higher standards of living and white-collar jobs. Falola is able to give a face to the topics and issues that we have been discussing in class. Little details such as how imported foods change the taste buds of students and "prepare them for a future that would enslave them in the global economy" (Falola 145). As a student who has eaten cafeteria food for many, many years this is a concept that I can identify with and allows me to see the subtle ways in which the Western world has tainted traditional African culture. Another major event, Pasitor's attempt to free Jakobu, leads the reader step by step through the escalating corruption of the government and demonstrates how it directly affects the lives of the citizens. However, while the reader can imagine what it looked like to live in Africa during these times of change and hardship, the memoir does not give any indication of what it felt like. The lack of emotional connections in the text was disappointing and it made it harder to connect on a personal level with Falola's experiences. In this regard, the book failed to live up to my expectations.

The kids in this society are changing their beliefs in the culture because of the internet . There are sites like wikipedia that someone can change information at anytime . Why is this so ? Whats a prime example of the changing of young kids culture and what they believe . There's captions , and story lines about the black community right now and if you're a young kid on facebook or even twitter , what you see is what you're honestly going to believe .

The part of Africa which the main character is from was mostly all lower class citizens.Most people lived in small huts that were leaky, also having little to no money for food or clothing. Also due to the lack of money most citizens were in a lower class area were incapable of acquiring medical attention. Another issue that was provided in the novel was overcrowded cities. During the 1960s most South African towns were many raided causing citizens to move into new towns and cities . Most families started having more children which future joined with more citizen causing overcrowded cities. Lastly White supremacy was a colossal issues during the book Kaffir boy. The main character talks about being afraid of what people and what they could do to him. Throughout the whole book he elaborates on

Most successful people have obstacles to overcome on their road to success. For Mark Mathabane, in his autobiography Kaffir Boy, he defies the South African apartheid system and becomes a collegiate athlete at a Division II school. In his journey to freedom, he leaves behind native customs and traditions, such as his religion, the rituals and his father; however, these still unwelcome recurrences haunt Mark time and time again throughout his maturation in Apartheid South Africa.

Everyone should have an equal opportunity to succeed. Although each person comes from different cultures and race, anyone can do what he or she wants. In Mark Mathabane’s autobiography Kaffir Boy, Mark and his family undergo hardship with Apartheid, tradition, and the beliefs of people. As a result, Mark and his family suffer many indignities such as being poor and being different. However, Mark is able to conquer adversity and do what he wants. Apartheid and tradition destroy the life of many families in South Africa both physically and mentally. Impeding the people from believing they can become someone. Mark shows his family that everything is okay, and is able to do something in his life. He shows them that anyone can become someone.

In this fictional novel, written by Alan Paton, the author gives light to many different social issues including apartheid, prostitution, alcoholism, and many more. Through these social issues, Paton idolizes many characters throughout this narrative due to their behavior and actions taken during these matters. Beyond conventional issues, this book poses its own issues, some in accordance with the national issues, and some not. Through Paton’s use of expressive diction, graphic imagery, and examples of Arthur’s writings, he constructs a shared attribute of persistent ambition among the Jarvis men, Stephen Kumalo, and Msimangu.

The Kaffir boy is a story about a smart South African boy named Mark who plays tennis. There are several instances in this story that could illustrate elements of culture. Mark's father would always try to force tribal law and tradition on his family.

“Kaffir Boy” by Mark Mathabane is an incredibly complex novel detailing the author’s childhood and coming of age in a South Africa gripped by apartheid. It also describes his steadfast pursuit of tennis as a means of escaping the aforementioned system that legalized and even encouraged racism. Though the autobiography captures copious personal struggles and internal conflicts, the elements of the text that truly stand out are the cultural ones- these being the elements of society, religion, and politics.