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Wind-Wolf's Plea: A Cultural Analysis

792 Words4 Pages

The ability to see the world as others do occurs only once. This is before the instance of any stimuli, any thought or experience; before the first breath. Culture is a foundation of beliefs and morals that are specific to one’s ethnicity. This is the distinct quality that everyone has based on their abstract views and varying backgrounds. The foundation of how people identify themselves and others is shaped by their experiences and interactions throughout life. Family and social norms are the two most prominent factors of how perception is influenced by culture. Culture assimilation is almost inevitable to those being constantly exposed to social pressures. A person's reflection of themselves is likely to be altered when these societal …show more content…

Family ethics and values are determined by a generational sequence from a person's family and ancestors. These values surpass childhood and form the primordial mentality. Family determines the basis at which a person takes in account the world around them. Wind-Wolf, a 5 year old Indian child, in "An Indian Father's Plea" is portrayed as being "Caught between worlds, torn by, two distinct cultural systems"(112 Lake).Wind-Wolf gathered experience from his family and established his cultural identity. As Wind-Wolf struggles in school to adapt, his father argues rather that the school accommodate for his cultural differences. His struggle in school illustrates how influential family beliefs are to one's identity and perception. Additionally, in the novel "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan, family is a reoccurring thematic element, especially between mother and daughter figures. Waverly, a central daughter, says "I . . . looked in the mirror. . . . I was strong. I was pure." in front of a mirror before she is forcibly married.(58 Tan) In this scene she is realizing a special "invisible strength" inherited from her mother.(50 Tan) Waverly uses this strength throughout her life to maintain her family values and persevere past adversity. Moreover family is one of the most important cultural aspects to perception considering family is based on the close connections of

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