Category: Cultural Identity

Cultural identity refers to a person’s sense of belonging to a particular cultural group and how they relate to others. My own experience of cultural identity is that I am from two different cultures. My mother is Tswana and my father is Xhosa so I am expected to practice both cultures because my parents are not married and they are separated. These two cultures perform their rituals differently so I have to accommodate both cultures, I sometimes don’t know where I belong. When I am at my father’s house, I am called by my Xhosa name and when I am at my mother’s house, they use my Tswana name, so I would like to say that I belong to both cultures.

No, cultures don’t change it is just people who choose to change and avoid their culture or we can say that they change their beliefs and adopt modern ways of doing things. For example- they believe that doing ancestral rituals is practicing evil things because they are now reformed Christians as they usually call themselves. Most people who belong to certain cultures are still embracing their culture and practicing it regardless of what society says. They can move from villages to go live in suburbs or townships but remain true to their culture, they don’t adapt to modern ways no matter how long they stay in the suburbs, they still practice their culture. For example: Zulu people still do the umemulo and the umembeso ritual. Culture remains constant and it never changes some people are measured by society and they tend to choose the society over their own cultures because society’s expectations are rendered to be the best way of doing things, that is why we see people suffer from their calling they would rather deny their calling to please the society because if they accept their ancestral calling, they are called witch doctors. Everyone is born into their own different culture and from birth they practice their culture until they choose to go their separate way. Culture is something that has existed for years and it cannot change we just choose to avoid it. For example: boys and men no longer go to initiation schools for circumcision they prefer circumcising at hospitals.

Cultural identity through social media is formed when people speak their truth and teach others about their cultural beliefs. For example: I have seen posts on social media about different kinds of rituals of their cultures and the reason behind those rituals and in that manner, I got to learn about other cultures. Generations change over time so they need to be taught about their cultures and taken back to their social media is the best platform to do so because we are in the 4th industrial revolution whereby people depend more on social media platforms and can access information easily through social media. For example: when I feel l need to know more about a certain culture I go to social media and search for whatever it is that I need to know. Traditions represent a basic piece of our culture and form the structure and establishment of our families and our society. They remind us of who we are today and that we are part of a history that defines our past and who are likely to become. Tradition contributes a sense of consolation and belonging. It brings families together and empowers individuals to reconnect with companions. For example: My experience is that most of my family get to reconnect very well during traditional ceremonies because that is when we practice our culture and we are all the same.

Sunday Adelaja once said, “Names have a great influence on the destiny of the person, who bears the name”. In Jhumpa Lahir’s novel The Namesake, Lahir tells the story of a Bengali man named Gogol who, throughout his life, has experienced an identity crisis. The name given to him at birth was solely supposed to be used as his dark naam (secret pet name) but his love for it in his childhood went on to haunt him throughout his life as he tried to figure out his sense of identity. Gogol’s identity is greatly impacted by culture, throughout his teenage years Gogol feels more of a connection with American culture rather than his Bengali one, he also is angered at the fact that his name does not tie into who he is culturally, and Gogol does come close to an understanding of who he is.

Firstly, throughout the novel, Gogol feels a closer connection to American Culture than Bengali culture. On a trip to Calcutta where he feels out of place, Gogol gains a sense of relief being on the plane back to America. This is shown on page 87 which states, “But for Gogol, relief quickly replaces any lingering sadness, with relief he peels back the foil covering his breakfast, extracts the silverware… with relief, he puts on his headset to watch The Big Chill and listen to the top-forty songs”. (pg 87). This comes to show that in Calcutta, a place where he is unwilling to embrace his native culture, Gogol’s connection to his American identity is at its peak. He develops a sense of happiness being able to return to his American life where he feels the most at home and enjoys the fact that he can escape from his Bengali roots. At this point in the novel, Gogol does have a good understanding of who he is. He is aware of the fact that he feels no close connection to his Bengali roots and enjoys his American life much more.

Secondly, Gogol becomes angered that his name has no connection to him culturally and, therefore, gives him no sense of identity. In chapter four, Ashoke gifts one of his favorite books to Gogol for his birthday, after his father leaves his room Gogol begins to list the many reasons why he dislikes his name, he states, “He hates that his name is absurd and obscure, that it has nothing to do with who he is, that is it neither Indian nor American but of all things Russian. He hates having to live with it” (pg 76). This quote shows how Gogol feels angered at the fact that his father had to give him a name of Russian origin rather than that of American or Bengali culture. This further negatively impacts his identity as he continues to struggle with understanding who he is and the significance that his name holds.

Lastly, Gogol does come to a close understanding of who he is. The end of the novel marks a point in his life where he begins to gain an interest in finding out who he is. After he stumbles across the book his deceased father gave to him for his birthday, he finds his identity through reading Nikolai Gogol’s novel The Overcoat. In the novel it states, “As the hours of the evening pass, he will grow distracted, anxious to return to his room, to be alone, to read the book he had once forsaken, had abandoned until now… for now, he starts to read” (pg 290, 291). Although Gogol struggles with finding a sense of identity throughout the novel, his picking up the book and having a sudden interest in reading it symbolizes his new interest in learning more about his identity and more about why his father ultimately decided to name him after this author.

To conclude, culture greatly impacts Gogol’s identity throughout the novel. Gogol gravitates more to his American culture rather than his Bengali culture and continues to dislike his name for coming from a Russian origin that has nothing to do with who he is culturally. Although he struggles to come to an understanding of who he is, he does reach this understanding at the end of the novel by reading the book his father once gifted to him.

Culture is defined in many different ways by different people. Whether talking about American culture, LGBT culture, or Deaf culture, they are all a system of knowledge. Culture shapes us because it consists of values, beliefs, language, behaviors, and practices that people share. These influence us on how to think, interact, and behave in the world. People can be a part of more than one culture based on what they identify themselves as. No one is born with culture; we are taught culture by our family members throughout our lifetime and it is passed on from one generation to another. The ways of being, actions, and ideas that are appropriate in one culture may not be appropriate in another. Culture is alive and it is in a constant state of change.

The cultures that I choose to be a part of our Filipino culture and Gay culture. Someone who is Filipino and Gay may not interact or think the way that I do because we have different beliefs and values from our personal experiences. In terms of culture, we are born a blank slate, having no knowledge of culture. Holcomb (2013) states, “people are not born with culture; rather, they are born into a culture where strategies of survival are introduced to members of the community as they grow up. These strategies allow people not only to survive but also to thrive in the environment in which they live,” (p. 17). We gradually acquire the characteristics and norms of a culture based on our personal experiences and family members.

As I was growing up, my parents taught me traditions, behaviors, and values that were accepted throughout the Filipino culture. Filipinos value their families. This includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and honorary relations such as godparents and close family friends. Filipinos receive much love, support, strength, stability, and endless happiness from their families. “Family is considered to be the foundation of social life for most Filipinos,” (Scroope, 2017). Growing up, I had a strong bond with my nuclear and extended family members. We would have family get-togethers at least once a week to eat, sing, and socialize with each other. My family usually sets aside a specific day for a certain celebration such as birthdays, anniversaries, or reunions. To me, family always came first. Because family matters most to Filipinos, I am family-oriented and have a family-centered lifestyle.

Rice is the main meal in the culture. The very first food I learned to prepare from my parents was rice. It is usually prepared by steaming it in a rice cooker and served together with other foods. In addition, it is also the main ingredient in the preparation of pastries and sweets, grounding it to make rice flour. Johnson-Kozlow et al. (2011) state, “steamed, white rice was reported to be a central part of the daily diet, often being at breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” (p. 3). Filipinos consume a lot of seafood in most households such as fish, clams, mussels, squid, crabs, and shrimp. They are prepared by being salted, fried, and served with rice and vegetables. At bigger parties, there is usually a whole pig roasted called Lechon. This is a popular food item where people can slice their pieces and serve themselves. Growing up, my diet always consisted of rice with every meal, so I am used to eating rice with meat or seafood.

In addition, Christmas is important to Filipinos. We have the longest Christmas celebration, celebrating it as early as September. “September inaugurates the start of what is known as the ‘Ber’ months (September, October, November, and December) when parades, parties, and concerts crowd the calendar of a season that is as visually resplendent as it is long,” (McCarthy, 2018). My mom decorates the inside and outside of the house with Christmas decorations. My family would celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve and it would extend until the morning of Christmas Day. This was always the biggest celebration every year, having family from different areas attend the Christmas party. Each family would prepare and bring either food or desserts to share with everyone. The adults would socialize with each other in one room, while the kids were playing games in another. Once midnight hit, my entire family would exchange gifts and open them at the same time. The party would continue even after we open presents.

I identify myself with the LGBT culture because of my sexual orientation. LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. Those who are in the LGBT community might experience discrimination and hatred based on their sexual orientation. They are discriminated against in schools, and hospitals, mistreated and disowned by their families. Some cultures do not approve of same-sex marriages or relationships because it is considered wrong. “For many gays and lesbians, coming out of the closet still risks familial banishment, the loss of friendships, or even violence,” (Kirchick, 2019). It took a lot of courage, but I am open about my identity to my friends, family, and to the public. My friends and family were very supportive and accepting of me, encouraging me to be comfortable with my sexual orientation. The LGBT community is filled with very supportive individuals. For example, when my girlfriend and I hold hands in public and we see another LGBT member, they will flash a friendly smile at us. I am proud to be a part of this culture.

I do not identify myself with Deaf culture, but I find it extraordinary that they have their own community that brings Deaf people together. They have similarities and differences like any other culture. For example, every culture has its own language. Filipinos speak Tagalog and Deaf people communicate with each other by using American Sign Language (ASL). Holcomb (2013) states, “ASL is considered to be the most accessible language for deaf people because of its visual properties,” (p.114). On the other hand, Deaf people stomp their feet and flicker the lights to get the attention of other people. However, these techniques are not used when hearing people are around since they are viewed as negative.

America is very diverse because of its various racial, religious, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Diversity is constantly growing. One’s cultural values, beliefs, practices, and customs influence how we think, interact, and behave in the world. There are many cultural similarities and differences such as the spoken language, preparation of food, and social habits. We should embrace these differences because that is what makes everyone distinctly unique.

When people ask you, or when you ask yourself what it means to be American, what usually comes to mind? For most people, they would say to be american would mean to be born in America or to be a citizen of America. While those are correct answers, the question can go rather deep with all sorts of answers, but today I will tell you what it means to be American in just one simple answer that mixes all of them in a small note.

So let’s say Amercian can be a word that means multiple things like freedom, culture, land, etc. Some stuff that would consider you to be American would be to feel the pain or the share the victories this country has gone through during its years. For example 9/11, everyone who was in America at the time remembers where they were or what they were doing during that devastating moment of the early new century.

If we go further back in time we can when The great President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in front of many people from the country. A Lot of Americans were deeply sad about their beloved president’s death. There was a funeral held to the public where people could see his casket and pray with one another. There was a photograph that was taken during said moment whilst his casket was being carried away. In the photo, you can see Mrs. Kennedy mourning over her husband and other family members on the other side in the front row. You could see that the photographer was not in the front row but at a respectful distance for them to capture the sad moment.

So if you’re thinking, why are you telling me about sad moments in American history, it’s to show you that all of these fellow citizens in the country have all shared a tear or two over the devastating moments that have happened in America. But it’s not just crying together that makes you american, it’s also the victories that we have won together as well. Yes not all of us in the country fight in a war and put our lives at risk, but we celebrate with the ones we do and we honor them by sharing the victory with not just the ones at risk but with the country and people in it as a whole.

If you would, allow me to pull up another photo, or painting, from past events. There wasn’t a proper name for this one, but it clearly shows Washington crossing over the Delaware river in a boat showing a great amount of pride. This painting was of course not accurate on how this actually looked and how it went down, but it was meant to show american pride while Washington was making his way to a victory for the newly founded country of America. In the painting, Washington is standing in a boat looking rather prideful whilst holding an american flag during the Revolutionary War in 1775.

To wrap things up in a box with a little bow, being american doesn’t just mean that you were born here or that you got your citizenship to be american, but it also means to have pride together and to feel together as a country. To be american is to be one united nation and to fight or celebrate as people together. Yes, some people have different opinions than others but that doesn’t make us different than the next american or the next or the next. Even though we fight against each other we still fight together against other nations and hold american pride close to our hearts.

Political concepts are intrinsically polysemous. For many of them, there is no universal definition that comes without dispute. In this essay, I will argue that political concepts are subject to contestation due to the fact that humans and societies are not static, we are subject to constant change because of environment or culture for example. Moreover, an individual’s own experiences can have significant value on the understanding of concepts, as we also have the ability to shape politics and society. To understand why political concepts are contested, I will analyze the concept of multiculturalism focusing on Giovanni Sartori’s theories of ‘conceptual stretching’ and ‘parochialism’ while also assessing key scholars’ perspectives on the contestability of multiculturalism.

In order to assess why concepts are subject to contestation, I think it is important to outline what concepts are, and why political concepts in particular are more likely to be contested. Concepts are abstract ideas that act as tools to enable us to make sense of the world by analyzing and explaining said subjects. Taking for example, a ‘table’, the characteristics that make a table a table may consist of a flat surface with one or more supports that elevate it off the ground. The concept of a table is not really contested as the meaning and utility of a table is one that is universally agreed. (Heywood, 2013) Political concepts, however, are subject to much more contestation. Politics at its core is a social activity and it follows the logic that debates would surround the definition. Ideas such as multiculturalism can have different interpretations to different people as factors such as religion, culture and gender for example inevitably shape the way we make sense of the world, which is why disagreement and controversy over these concepts can run so deep, especially since the way in which we interpret concepts can have a profound capacity to influence action. Walter Bryce Gaille recognized this and coined the phrase ‘essentially contested concept’ to refer to this subset of concepts that can be endlessly disputed. ‘reasonable men may argue interminably without ever reaching the true meaning and implications of the concept’. (Gaille, 1956)

The surge in popularity of right-wing nationalist parties in recent years has brought the topic of Europe’s relationship with religious and ethnic minority groups into the front of current political debates. Multiculturalism is exactly that of a contested concept as decades of the debate have brought no clarity to what exactly comes to define multiculturalism. In regard to contestability, we can look at a country like the UK that upholds fundamental values such as individualism, compared to a country where its culture emphasizes community before the individual, and see how the concept of multiculturalism may be interpreted so differently. Several variants of multiculturalism, therefore, have developed such as ‘conservative’ multiculturalism which seeks to assimilate the minority groups into the majority or ‘pluralist’ multiculturalism which aims to support and protect minority groups and gives them differential rights’ (Chin, 2017, p.20)

In a world that is increasingly politicized, these social and cultural differences play a huge part in influencing the discourse around the essentially contested concept that is multiculturalism. Essentially, multiculturalism concerns the ideas about the legal and political accommodation of diverse minority groups. It is something that existed and exists within humanity where diversity is respected and people from different cultures have existed side by side. However, there is a historically specific occurrence that scholars have referred to as the ‘master narrative’ which concerns a rise and fall account of multiculturalism across Western democracies. (Kymlicka, 2019) To understand such phenomena, it may be useful to refer to Giovanni Sartori’s (1970) notion of conceptual stretching, known as the ‘distortion that occurs when a concept does not fit the new cases’ (Collier and Mahon, 1993).

When thinking of the concept of multiculturalism, one might think of the word ‘equality’. Writing about America, Taylor (1992) observed that the politics of equality equated to sameness, in which the liberal state took a neutral stance to multiculturalism. This has not come without criticism however as sameness often implies assimilation as the ideal which in turn oppresses those minority groups. Additionally, the UK took a policy approach to multiculturalism regarded as ‘Britishness’ which entailed embracing diversity through common values through a plural identity. This liberalist approach was cemented with the Race Relations Act of 1968 where it became a legal offense to discriminate on the basis of race. Nonetheless, there were strains in government over race relations were at the same time tighter immigration laws were imposed and Roy Jenkins who was perceived to be excessively dedicated to race relation laws was removed from Home Office. (Wadia and Allwood, 2012) Both the Race Relations Act of 1968 and the removal of Roy Jenkins transpiring in the same period is symbolic and demonstrate the internal complexity (Gallie, 1956) of what multiculturalism is. Through this analysis, we can see the problems with ‘conceptual stretching’ broadening the use of terms. There is a paradoxical nature to the concept of multiculturalism. It increases the equality for minorities and also acknowledges them, yet through the policies enacted, it arguably creates inequality too, and fragments social cohesion. Conceptual stretching thus limits our ability to reach ‘stable concepts and a shared understanding of categories’ (Collier and Mahon, 1993, p.845)

The presence of ‘parochialism’ can also be attested to the contestation of multiculturalism. Sartori (1994, p.19) proposed that it is the inclination of writers to ‘self-tailor’ terminology in the context of single-country studies. This is unlike conceptual stretching as it slims the term to have particular applications instead. The ‘fall’ of multiculturalism in the UK often described in the master narrative can be traced back to this point. In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher of the Conservative Party in her campaign drew upon the aforementioned ‘Britishness’ of the nation but distinguished. ‘British character’ and invoked the language of cultural difference. On the large-scale immigration at the time, she said ‘Some people do feel swamped if streets they have lived in… are really now quite, quite different (Thatcher, 1978) The abuse of language circumvented previous notions of race and paved the idea that people of ethnic minority groups are inherently unable to integrate to British society because of their different culture. (Chin, 2017, p.142) The conservative government’s emphasis on Britishness to be accepted nationally meant that the concept of multiculturalism was skewed as such. The Education Act of 1988 encompassed British history, Christianity, and the English language as the focus. (Wadia and Allwood, 2012) This meant policies of assimilation became necessary and even systemic if minorities wanted to be socially accepted. The concept of multiculturalism in America on the other hand was increasingly politicized and in the wake of the civil rights movement, a study by the National Education Association (NEA) deployed the word multicultural in education as ‘the right of racial and ethnic minority groups to be included in the textbooks… [that] white is not always right…’ (Thomas, 1975 in Chin, 2017 p.14) Unlike the UK, the concept of multiculturalism took form in defying the dominance of white, Christian values.

In response to the ‘fall’ of multiculturalism, the term ‘post-multiculturalism’ emerged as a new way to create a more inclusive national identity by rejecting the policies of multiculturalism by adopting a more pluralistic model from the monolithic ‘Britishness’. In post-multiculturalism literature, there is an emphasis on embracing the traditions and customs of different ethnic groups. Alibhai-Brown (2000) referred to this as the ‘3S’ model in the UK: samosas, steel drums and saris. Cultural symbols like these embody a celebration of diversity to be preserved and treated respectfully by others. It has not come without criticism, however, as Kymlicka (2019) notes it ignores prevalent issues of socioeconomic and political inequality. It simply does not address contemporary problems that religious and ethnic diversity groups face that are often systemic. Rather, post-multiculturalism appears misguided due to misinterpretation of multiculturalism and the fact it is dead. There is evidence of the successes of multiculturalism. The Eurobarometer (2007) found that ‘almost three-quarters of EU citizens believe that people with a different background… enrich the cultural life of their country. Yet, in a post-Brexit society, scholars have noted that the debate whilst attempting to resolve issues concerning immigration, could further polarise identity politics regarding multiculturalism. (Sobolewska and Ford, 2019)

To conclude, the concept of multiculturalism is revealed to have an inherent dichotomy. There are many actors that contribute to the essentially contested concept as one could blame political actors engaging in parochialism distorting the value of meaning. With the political sphere constantly evolving alongside humanity, political concepts such as multiculturalism naturally then, tend to embody new meanings. Despite the fact that multiculturalism has always existed such as in the Ottoman Empire, it is bound to take on different meanings by different people and cultures. The political sphere is intrinsically value-laden and so it is natural that there is a lack of conceptual clarity. Gallie (1956) however saw that essentially contested concepts have the benefit of raising the quality of disputes. Likewise, Chin (2017, p.22) recognized ‘the fundamental value of multiculturalism’s messiness’ is that it enables more debate over diversity and not less.

I was born in Enugu, a small city in Nigeria, into a proud Nigerian family, which is something very few people know about me. Both of my parents come from the Igbo tribe, whose dominant language is Igbo. About three years after I was born, my father got a visa to immigrate to Canada, then my family moved there. My cultural background and geography led to me being raised under the influence of two cultures: Nigerian and Canadian. Both cultures’ ideals and differences have shaped my identity. My viewpoint towards work and studying, holidays and funerals, as well as how I view friends and family are shaped by the strong influence of these two nationalities and cultures that I am proud to call my own.

My parents have encouraged me to become a determined, hardworking, and kind individual. My father referred to as ‘diokpala’ (the first son in his family), worked tirelessly to achieve the accomplishments he has today. He gave up a successful business for a better life for his children. Years ago, my parents taught me to never settle for the easier option and to always chase after what I want in life, a message I would never forget. They said, “Opportunity waits for no one, and if you see something, go and get it”. Furthermore, this lesson holds up in the Canadian environment I have been fortunate to grow up in. Due to the growing number of immigrant families in Canada, I share similar morals and motivations of determination and wanting to succeed. These morals and ideals shared across the nation reveal to me that I have to work twice as hard to reach my ideal destination.

In addition, my heritage has several Nigerian and Canadian cultural traditions. For instance, my African father taught me the practice of Igo-ofo (a practice where you communicate with spirits and meditate saying things that you want to happen). The practice gives you the drive and great determination to improve in all aspects of life. I do not regularly practice, however, when I practice Igo-ofo, I do it for my behavior, outlook in life, relationship with loved ones, and work. This feature has shaped me and changed how I celebrate holidays and view deaths.

I celebrate several public holidays in Canada and also in Nigeria. Being in Nigeria for an unfortunate reason, my outlook on life has certainly shifted. Nigerian culture has opened my eyes and influenced my attitude towards people and how I celebrate holidays. My parents have constantly been trying to make me learn more about my Nigerian heritage, and embarrassingly, I did not learn much, not even how to speak my mother tongue. Every time I was too busy to take a moment to listen or uninterested, which I truly regret, however, coming to Nigeria has changed me. In Nigeria, many people don’t think of dying as a bad thing, rather they celebrate and recount all the good memories you’ve made with that person and cherish them. Funerals are seen as a celebration of the great life the person lived, not what they did not get to accomplish. On the other hand, Canadians view death as a sad and somber event where you mourn the person you have lost. Both cultures have different ways of dealing with grief, but they have affected me in some way, making me start valuing my friends and family.

In terms of relationships, I take my family and friends as a staple part of my life. At this point, both backgrounds have influenced my attitude towards people, namely my gratitude and commitment to them. In Nigeria, people greatly value family over anything else because of the belief that blood is thicker than water, and at the end of the day, no one supports and loves you like family. When I first arrived in Nigeria, I was greeted by cousins I had met before and the ones I never knew existed. In preparation for my visit, there was loud music and delicious food. I felt so loved and overjoyed at that moment, knowing they were happy to see me after all the years we had spent apart. In comparison, I find that people in North America put a lot of trust in friends and make every effort to be there for them. Regardless of whether I put family or friends on a pedestal, I strongly think that both of them have taught me that family and close friends are significant treasures.

Honestly, I love being in Canada and being surrounded by people with the most different and interesting cultural backgrounds. As a Nigerian Canadian, I am curious about different cultures, and I appreciate the cultural diversity around me. My friends are mainly from Canada, UK, and Africa. All of these cultures have fascinating ideas and teachings that I am curious about. Overall, I can conclude that the person I have become is mainly due to the two cultures’ influence on my life. I firmly believe that Nigerian culture has positively affected me in a significant way. However, it is true that the country you grew up in shapes your identity. Although I have not been home in a while, I try my best to maintain my roots and heartily believe that the mix of Nigerian and Canadian cultures has made a significant input in making me become a compassionate, determined, dedicated, and understanding person.

Cultural identity is defined by the feeling of belonging to a group that includes many variables such as nationality, ethnicity, and social class. This identity heavily influences an individual’s actions and is essential to their self-conception and self-perception. In Lisa Ko’s The Leavers, Deming is split between deciding which culture he is comfortable with and associating with. Although he lived in China for a short amount of time, he grew up in the Bronx and became accustomed to the American culture. With the disappearance of his mother, he had to leave the life he knew behind. Deming experiences a drastic difference in both nationalism and social class after being adopted by a wealthy Caucasian family. Throughout the novel, problems with conforming to society become prevalent and cause him to question his cultural identity.

Deming grew up in a more underprivileged household in the Bronx. His surroundings and conditions were not fitting for a kid his age. In a small apartment, he shared the living space with Polly, Michael, Vivian, and Leon. Their several neighbors would often argue, jump, and cause disruption to the group. He also heard many explicit words from his mother’s vocabulary and witnessed her argue with Leon. Since he lived in a low-income household, Deming’s meal plans were rather unhealthy and practical since they consisted of sweet candy, frozen pizza, and instant noodles. In addition, as a result of the absence of a father and his mother being gone for work, he didn’t care much for his studies. This environment is definitely unideal for a growing child. However, Deming was familiar with living in the low ends of the Bronx and considered it his cultural identity. His community, social status, and academic experience accumulated him as a person.

His comfortable lifestyle dissipated when his mother was deported. Deming was adopted by Peter and Kay and introduced to a new lifestyle. Life with his adoptive parents was different than his past laidback lifestyle and brought many new opportunities and privileges such as a bigger house and new clothes. Although it may seem to be an upgrade to his previous life, living in New York was a cultural shock to Deming. Transitioning from a low-income household to an established family may have been too much of a change in social class for him. With these new changes, it is inevitable that the pride of Deming’s background and cultural identity will be crushed. The altered societal norms of New York will take a mental toll on him. Furthermore, Peter and Kay’s actions infer that the typical life of a White American is superior to his Bronx childhood and Chinese culture.

Peter and Kay believed that it was in his best interest to change his name to Daniel Wilkinson because it would be easier to fit in at school. The majority of the population there was caucasian as well. As a result, Deming was often bullied and faced prejudice for his race. For instance, because of his Chinese background, the principal of Ridgeborough Middle School attempted to put him in the fifth grade when he belonged in the sixth grade. Principal Chester would say “His English may need a little brushing up on, but I’m afraid we don’t have enough foreign students in this school district to warrant an English as a Second Language class” and “It would be beneficial to let him be with the fifth graders. Kids can get discouraged easily. We don’t want him to get him started off in his new country on the wrong foot” (Ko 52). Despite Kate repeatedly telling him that Deming was born in the United States and that his English was perfect, Principal Chester continued to claim that Deming needed additional schooling. His actions prove that his statements are rooted in prejudice. This occurrence caused Deming to view his Chinese culture as a derogative feature and appealed to Peter and Kay’s apprehensions about his struggle with belonging.

Although Peter and Kay believe what they’re doing is good for Deming, it ultimately places him in an inferior spot. From the act of changing his name to a more American name to making him dress differently, they suppress his original cultural identity and unconsciously infer that the American New York life is better. We are able to see this effect when Ko states “He shivered, and for a brief, horrible moment, he could see himself the way he realized they saw him as someone who needed to be saved” (Ko 332). Kay and Peter mean well, but they have naïve ideas about success—ideas built upon the assumption that stereotypically American forms of prosperity are “better” than anything else. Kay talks about Polly as if she’s disenfranchised, and Daniel realizes that his adoptive parents have a narrow idea of what it means to lead a good and happy life. 

Intro

The Castle (1997), is the story of a Melbourne family living in close proximity to an airport, believing they are living the ‘Australian dream”, until the airport attempts to legally remove the Kerrigan family from their home and Darryl from his castle.

The language conventions in The Castle reflect cultural identity to its audience. The cultural identity displayed by the Kerrigans is dramatized through the use of language. The screenplays use colloquial language by the Kerrigan family to reflect the typical culture of the working class, though due to times satirical nature of this representation, ultimately shapes cultural identity for its audience.

1. Pride

During the scene where Darryl receives his Father’s Day gifts the audience is allowed a glimpse at their family bond through language as they crowd and huddle together on the sofa, this emphasizes the significance of pride in exchanging gifts. As Dale states “Even though none of us have a real lot of money we love giving each other presents”.

The gifts presented to Darryl are not necessarily expensive items, however for Darryl, the items hold more significance and sentimental value. Dale addresses the audience and proceeds to provide a wholesome description of the pool room, after which Sal gifts Darryl a German beer mug.

Darryl proceeds to give an overly grateful and overwhelming reaction “This is going straight to the pool room!”. The next shot leads the audience to the pool room in all its glory, signifying its importance to the Kerrigan family.

As the scene shifts the audience witnesses an extensive view of Darryl’s pool room and the collection of items that he considers the most significant to him. The varying camera angles including extreme close-ups and panning reveal the different treasures he possesses, those in which he finds most special only adding to his personal identity and culture.

Throughout this room, the audience can see numerous components of an individual’s identity such as gifts, images, and certificates.

Dale once again states “All dads most prized possessions are in the pool room….so by him saying it was going straight to the pool room meant he thought it was special”. For Darryl, it shows his family’s achievements and success in both their and his individual identity as his sense of pride is apparent.

Dale’s language has a major impact on the representation of the scene as the techniques in his quotes help the audience define the pride Darryl has for the room and the possessions within.

His colloquial language such as “…so by him saying it was going straight to the pool meant he thought it was special” helps provide a clear understanding of the connection and pride the Kerrigans have with the pool room. Dale’s informal speech also assists the impact of his quotes as they become more meaningful and personal.

2. Perception

During the first scene of the film, the audience is introduced to the whole Kerrigan family, stated by Dale revealing their individual achievements and importance and declaring their place within the family.

“Our father is the backbone of the family”, metaphorically representing the part Darryl plays within the family. Dale’s view of his father represents the gratitude both he and his family have for him and his crucial role in maintaining the family.

“If dads the backbone, mums the other bones, all of them” once again using Dales voice over while showing images to display her talents, as Darryl praises her for her skills and always encourages her hopes and dreams, the audience is given the ability to see the perceptions of them within the family playing a crucial part in their individual expression.

“Steve is also an ideas man, that’s why Dad calls him the ideas man” Through this characterization of Steve using gentle humor we are told of his talent and his role in the collective family identity. As Dale describes Steve the audience grasps his perception of him, once again the regard Dale has for Steve even though his ideas may seem basic, the Kerrigans classify his ideas as knowledgeable. Once again creating positive perceptions of one another in the Kerrigan family to reflect on one’s cultural identity.

The marriage of Tracey and Con in Darryl’s speech is shown to give a glimpse at changing perspective as he states “Let’s not beat around the bush” The Greeks have a reputation” quickly sees the change in tone as he adjusted his attitude because of Con’s love for Tracey, allowing to become aware of the families deep devotion to the love they all have. “We love you, we love you” displays through repetition the genuine emotion the Kerrigans have for Con and his love for Tracey. A panning shot that follows Darryl and Con’s appreciation shows the love between them.

Conclusion

The castle manifests a typical Australian family in the 90’s, through its language devices the film allows an audience to gain a strong understanding of cultural identity within the film. Its use of colloquial language, gentle humor, other language techniques, and supporting themes such as pride and perception aid the representation of cultural identity. The screenplay’s depiction of the working class suggests an emphasis on their attitude towards family, whose attitudes and values differ from those of mainstream culture. This proposes the Kerrigan family holds great pride and a fairly positive perception of family values and culture.

Identity is the beliefs, personality, expressions, and qualities that make a person or group. Self-identity is a collection of beliefs about oneself. A person can explore their identity by asking themselves the question “Who am I?”. I personally have experienced the feeling of not feeling like the person I want to be or the person that I am supposed to be. Having that kind of confusion is usually normal for people with a large cultural environment. Being confused with our self-identity is something that nobody wants to experience because that makes us uncomfortable with ourselves. People with identity issues tend to be worried all the time about the way others see them. It is important to be a multicultural person by first forming a positive cultural identity. Manning and Baruth authors of Multicultural Education Ethnicity define culture as “people’s values, languages, religions, ideals, artistic expressions, patterns of social and interpersonal relationships and ways of perceiving, behaving and thinking (24). However, cultural identity is also related to race, ethnicity, gender, and all that defines the self.

Cultural identity refers to the feeling of belonging to a certain culture that is attributed to the upbringing of an individual in a given culture. Cultural identity gives a person a sense of belonging and belonging towards their culture. Someone with parents of different nationalities or with different cultural or religious backgrounds can easily fall into disorientation. Everyone wonders more than one time in life if they are doing or being what they really want, and that is fine. It happens too with cultural identity. Some people are not sure if they are American because they were born in the US or if they are Mexicans because both of their parents are from Mexico. Cultural identity is partially inherited since it is quite natural that an individual acquires certain stereotypes, norms, and models of behavior from his/her parents and in the course of time such similarities between a child and parents grow stronger as the child learns more from his/her parents and develops his/her cultural identity. In fact, in such a situation, a child inherits not just the traditions and experience of his/her parents but also the traditions and experience of the whole people, or culture, and naturally acquires the experience of this culture that has been accumulating for decades. Once a particular group dominates an area, it is difficult for diversified outgroups to bring their own culture and belief systems into a society that has already established itself. This breach in cultures is evident at the turn of the 20th century. The efforts of people trying to preserve their cultural identities can bring about hostility and division in society. Sometimes we hear stories about people who were insulted just because they were speaking in their first language at a store.

The transition for a person who emigrates here to the US (or to any other country) is even harder because everyone wants to feel accepted. Some people may think that if they leave their culture a little bit aside and adopt the American culture they will be better accepted. And that can happen, but I think it is better when a person realizes that they can be both, that they can be proud of their own culture. That they do not have to change what they are inside. “I can say that I am a Japanese American. It means I have a place here in this country, too. I have a place here on the East Coast” (Noda, 2001), explaining this quote I can say that Noda Kesaya, a japanese american women, was saying that even though her blood is from Japan she has a place in America too, because she was born here. I feel like that too, my parents are 100 percent Mexicans and they decided that they wanted me to be born here in the US, so because of that I have the right to say that I have a place in both countries.

Being another nationality other than American here in the United States might lead to “Cultural Inequality”. Every person should be able to have the same opportunities that everyone else does, but what happens when it is not like that? The political scientist Murray Charles stated “For most of our nation’s history, whatever the inequality in wealth between the richest and poorest citizens, we maintained a cultural equality known nowhere else in the world—for whites, anyway” (Murray, 2016). Apparently, the US is a country for opportunities and growth, but how true is that? “In 2015, average hourly wages for black and Hispanic men were $15 and $14, respectively, compared with $21 for white men. Only the hourly earnings of Asian men ($24) outpaced those of white men.” (Patten, 2016). For women is the same story but with less pay. You can not change who you are, or your culture, so it is definitely difficult to be at the same level as a white person but that should not stop anyone from trying their best.

Another cultural problem that a person might have to face if they move to the US is the language. Some people who move to the US may have prior knowledge of English but if their not they will indeed have problems at the beginning some of them forever. I personally had to confront that issue, I did know some English, I did understand everything but I was scared of talking. I did not want anyone making fun of me, of course, that never happened I was just scared. It is hard to speak a language that is not yours, it is hard not knowing how to say something, but that was an insecurity constantly present on my mind. Now I am okay, but I know stories of people that have been here in the US for years and they never learned the language. Of course that is a big disadvantage because they do not feel comfortable with simple things like going shopping or going to a restaurant because they are not comfortable with the idea of people not being able to understand them.

It is really important to always try to maintain our personal identity. If a person that moved to the US is scared of losing their identity, they just have to always remember who they are, and where they come from, and if they like their culture they should try to keep their customs alive. Is always good to keep speaking in your first language, it is good to keep cooking food from your culture, to listen to music from your country. By doing that you will preserve your culture and pass it on to your future generations. It does not matter where you came from, or which culture you have, if you feel confused just analyze yourself and remember the things that matter to you. Not being 100% American is not something bad, everyone came from different places. If you want to preserve your identity do it, the world needs multicultural people.

Works Cited

1. Manning, M. Lee, and Leroy G. Baruth. Multicultural Education of Children and Adolescents. Routledge, 2009. This book is highly useful for the understanding of how children and adolescents experience being or having more than one culture in their lives.
2. Noda, Kesaya E. ‘Growing Up Asian in America.’ Race and Ethnicity, edited by Uma Kukathas, Greenhaven Press, 2001. Contemporary Issues Companion. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010080208/OVIC?u=ranc95197&sid=OVIC& xid=89326b5b. This article explains in a wonderful and useful way how it feels to identify yourself with more than one culture.
3. Murray, Charles. ‘Cultural Inequality Is the Problem That Needs to Be Addressed.’ Income Inequality, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010979231/OVIC?u=ranc95197&sid=OVIC&xid=5b63e85e. Accessed 17 July 2018. Originally published as ‘The New American Divide,’ Wall Street Journal, 21 Jan. 2012. Murray explains in this article the inequalities that immigrants have to face in the United States. Murray uses data and evidence to prove his statements, making this article useful and high-quality.
4. Patten, Eileen. “Racial, Gender Wage Gaps Persist in U.S. Despite Some Progress.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 1 July 2016, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/01/racial-gender-wage-gaps-persist-in-u-s-despite-some-progress/ This article was incredibly useful; because it’s statistics, and it’s relatively recent information on wages between races and genders.

Thesis: The loss of cultural identity among English as a second language (ESL) learners should be attributed to the globalization of the English language as individuals develop new thinking, perspectives, and values that undermine their traditional culture.

The supporting reasons are:

Language largely influences the development of one’s cultural identity (Hatoss, 2003) by creating tension between a dominant culture and the subculture of second-language speakers (Mercuri, 2012). It has not only formed a new sense of identity among proficient ESL in third-world countries but also affected the country’s dedication to its own culture (Johnson, 2009).

According to Johnson (2009), learning a language and accepting the language’s culture are inseparable. When ESL learns the English language, they are forced to behave like the Westerns and adopt their culture (Johnson, 2009) such as the beliefs and values that frame the language in line with the culture (Pourkalhor & Esfandiari, 2017), threatening their own culture at the same time.

Learning institutions are also prioritizing the learning of the English language rather than their children’s first language, adding to the loss of cultural identity as students are more inclined to learn English for international markets (Kanno & Varghese, 2010) while believing that their native language is inappropriate and of no value (Mercuri, 2012).

However, Hatoss (2003) also argued that it is possible for people to learn a new language without losing their cultural identity. Yet, this is highly unconvincing since language and cultural identity are closely intertwined (Pourkalhor & Esfandiari, 2017). As proposed by Alfarhan (2016), “In the process of learning English, one may lose some of the irreplaceable concepts and knowledge about the traditional cultural practices or values that can lead to the loss of the cultural identity of that particular group” (p. 4).

References

1. Alfarhan, I. (2016). English as a global language and its effects on culture and identity. American Research Journal of English and Literature, 2, 1-6.
2. Hatoss, A. (2003). Identity formation, cross-cultural attitudes and language maintenance in the Hungarian Diaspora of Queensland. Cultural Citizenship: Challenges of Globalization, 71-77. Retrieved from https://eprints.usq.edu.au/1158/1/Hatoss_Deakin_paper.pdf
3. Johnson, A. (2009). The rise of English: The language of globalization in China and the European Union. Macalester International, 22(1), 12. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1447&context=macintl
4. Kanno, Y., & Varghese, M. M. (2010). Immigrant and refugee ESL students’ challenges to accessing four-year college education: From language policy to educational policy. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 9(5), 310-328.
5. Mercuri, S. P. (2012). Understanding the interconnectedness between language choices, cultural identity construction, and school practices in the life of a Latina educator. Gist Education and Learning Research Journal, 6, 12-34.
6. Pourkalhor, O. & Esfandiari, N. (2017). Culture in language learning: Background, issues, and implications. International Journal of English language & translation studies, 5(1), 23-32.