In The Shadow lines (1988) Amitav Ghosh debates the idea of Indian national identity and the whimsicality of national boundaries in the language of the colonizer with the help of literature, a tool, which was used to repress the natives and simultaneously to “rationalize” them under the British rule. Stuart Hall in the essay “Cultural Identity and Diaspora” talks about how cultural identities far from being eternally fixed in some essentialized past, are subject to the continuous play of history, culture and power. It is therefore, necessary to consider the major role of the building and modeling of the nation state in the post world war II epoch, while taking into account the faction of diaspora and its relationship to a body politic, a nation …show more content…
Indira Gandhi by two Sikh men, of which the author was himself a witness. Also, it is important to note that in the strife stricken Calcutta and Dhaka there were a large number of people who provided protection and accommodation to people of a different religion often risking their lives. However, they “were ordinary people, soon forgotten…not for them any Martyr’s memorials or Eternal Flames.“(SL
In Peeled by Joan Bauer she uses identity in two different ways. The one way she uses it is how can our surroundings shape who we become. Another way she uses it is can first impressions be trusted. First let’s start with our surroundings shape who we are.
In Julio Polanco’s poem, “Identity”, the author develops the theme that one should be true to himself through the extended metaphor of ugly weeds feeling beautiful. The narrator wanted to be freed from the burden and pressure of trying to fit in so he’d “rather be a tall, ugly weed” (Palanco). This expresses the idea that inward appearance trumps outward appearance and inner beauty is achieved through being yourself. The metaphor conveys how he wanted freedom and to live an adventurous life without being forced to be something other than himself and that had a greater meaning than beauty.
Gandhi was given too much credit for the success of the Indian Independence Movement. Discuss if this statement true? This statement is true to a lesser extent. It has been noted throughout the years that Gandhi has been, the so called, savior of India.
Blue is essentially a story of searching for identity and creating your own family. Written by Patricia Leavy the story follows three college roommates, as they each piece together who they are in their life after college. Following each characters involvement in relationships and inner dialogue, the book addresses the challenge young adults face coming out of college with finding their identity. Through her story life, Leavy has weaved together sociological themes that relate to identity seeking. Leavy’s book is a story that demonstrates how individuals form identity because it highlights themes of sociological theories, dramaturgy, and socialization.
In the reading “Son” by Andrew Solomon, horizontal and vertical identities are compared and dissected through the lenses of society’s perceptions. A vertical identity is when “attributes and values are passed down from parent to child not only through DNA, but also through shared cultural norms”, while a horizontal identity is when “someone has an inherent or acquired trait that is foreign to his or her parents” (370). Solomon being a gay, dyslexic man brought up as an anti-Jew Jew, has well delved into the controversy of the ethics between what is considered an illness versus what is accepted as an identity. In the reading “Son”, Solomon narrates his struggle with identity from his early ages to present, and shows the development of his ethical
Painted Tongue uses his humming, his circular path, counting coup, and his physical appearance to construct his identity because he was forced to go to a boarding school when he was only a child, and therefore his knowledge of his own culture is not perfect. Painted Tongue works hard to reaffirm his identity because he is not confidant of it, and he reaffirms it more strongly when he thinks that he is disrespected or that his identity as an Ojibwe warrior is put in doubt, for example when he is at the hospital after breaking his nose and he feels disrespected by the nurses. However, when the doctor does not speak down to him, Painted Tongue sees that "he was white but his nose looked very much like Painted Tongue's" (Boyden 84). Painted Tongue
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Emerson suggests that humans are living in a world in which humanity is constantly attempting to change individuals. Society tries to change humans identities, but a human’s identity is what allows them to express themselves and distinguish themselves from others. Human nature is supposed to look, act and think differently, and, when humans are very similar it becomes difficult to interact and get along with others. A time that preserving identity becomes notably challenging is during times of crisis.
The Marāthās, in particular, became so enraged that they eventually gained their independence from the Mughals and established their own empire,” (Gale). The departure of the Marāthās proves the lack of religious tolerance the Mughals had at times. The Marāthās were so enraged at the lack of acceptance that they left the empire rendering it smaller and weaker. This is just one example of the Mughals not only only neglecting to practice religious tolerance, but how refusing to accept all people for their beliefs backfired in the empire’s overall growth and unity.
War lights the barrel keg within everyone reveling their true identity, by abandoning their past beliefs. Joseph Boyden illustrates the importance of cultural identity, throughout the novel Three Day Road. Xavier shows devotion towards his culture, by constantly trying to hold onto whatever reminded himself of it. Another character, Niska, betrays herself by abandoning her culture as a result of losing her identity. Elijah also completely strips of his cultural identity when he turns windgo.
Written by John Knowles, A Separate Peace, acknowledges the issues regarding identity through its four major characters: Gene, who suffers a lack of selfhood; Finny, who loses his self in an accident; Leper, who feels overlooked by his peers; and, Brinker, who deems he must live up to his family’s expectations. Though the novel is expressed in Gene’s perspective, identity is the primary theme and touches on all four characters. Furthermore, the three articles, "Are you Having an Identity Crisis?", "Basics of Identity" and, "Authenticity and Identity" all further analyze the topic. Additionally, they amalgamate with the book to describe the insecurities of the characters.
Gandhi created a revolution of change in India. He had an enormous impact that forever that vibrant country, and he did it all with nonviolence. Gandhi led people and taught them to stand up for themselves and in the process made India a free and independent country. The unfair treatment would no longer stand, it was time for change. The nonviolence policy worked because Gandhi did not give in, he accepted punishment and responsibility, and his followers were loyal.
In the essay “Two Ways to Belong in America,” from 50 essays, Bharati Mukherjee contrasts the different views of the United States from two Indian sisters. The author distinguishes her American lifestyle to her sister’s traditional Indian lifestyle. Both sisters grew up in Calcutta, India, moved to America in search of education and work. Bharati adjusts to the American society very quickly, where her sister Mira clings to her Indian traditions more strongly. Despite both sisters living in America, only Bharati is an American citizen, while her sister Mira is not.
Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty,” Mohandas Gandhi quoted. I have extremely admired Gandhi because his whole life be worked and fought for India’s Independence from the British Empire. Also another important person whom I have respected is Martin Luther King .Jr who attracted many people to his cause by delivering his speech “I have a dream.”
Throughout my experiences in this course so far, I have had many opportunities to reflect on my own past and have begun to better understand my own cultural identity. It has been much more difficult to wrap my head around than I would have predicted it to be because so many things play into the construction of an identity that it can be hard to look at all of those separate pieces together. My cultural identity, like all others, is more complicated than it first appears. I identify as a white person, a woman, an American, a gay person, and a feminist, just to name a few. While all of these labels carry with them stereotypes and expectations, they also interplay with the cultural influences I was subject to throughout my childhood.
One Amazing Thing. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. USA: Hyperion, 2009. 209pp. Under the rubric of Commonwealth Literature, there is always a bewildering array of overlapping and intersecting experiences between ‘home’ and ‘abroad’.