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Model Midterm1 answers 2018 Web Highlights: review previous student answers re minorities and / or American Indians Index to Web Highlights Models 2018 |
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Cynthia Cleveland
Identity or Assimilation?
America is a nation comprised of various different cultures; in fact, it
is often a point of pride that our culture is a ‘melting pot’. However, it is
striking to consider how much we do not learn of the native cultures that once
occupied this beautiful country. Often, the best introduction that Americans
receive to the Native American culture is a by-product of the founders’ own
exploration of the country, rarely focused on imbuing a deep understanding of
their culture. As a result, there is a legacy of ethnocentrism embedded within
our society.
Nicole Bippen’s essay “The Struggle for Identity in a Predominantly White
Culture” addresses this concern of ethnocentrism; much of the literature that we
are exposed to is the “dead white guys” that litter the canon. What I have
found, which Bippen addresses in her own essay, is that while the Native
American culture is different, there are strong parallels between the
Euro-American culture and the Native American culture. Both cultures have their
own origin stories, which are eerily similar in their narratives. Also, there is
no doubt that reading multicultural literature is an enriching experience it
itself—we know so much about our own culture, and so little of other’s, that
alone should be enough motivation.
Speaking of “dead white guys”, Amber Boone’s essay “The Dominant Culture
and Whiteness” raised some interesting points, such as how we define “whiteness”
and whether or not we should be categorizing by culture rather than race.
Certainly, little good has ever come from lumping everyone into a homogenous
category. Through our learning in Minority Literature, there certainly is an
enormous difference in race and ethnicity. Take the Native Americans, for
example: there are literally hundreds of different Native American tribes in the
United States and they don’t all speak a universal language. They each have
their own customs, traditions and rich histories. This is all to say that
perhaps, we should abandon attempting to categorize each other and try instead
to ask questions and understand the multitude of cultures within our own
country.
Rebecca Bridjmohan’s essay “Assimilation vs. Resistance and the Lifelong
Struggles of the American Indians” reflects on this lack of understanding and
how detrimental is has been, as a result, to the Native Americans of the modern
day. Due to the ethnocentrism that was—and still is—a huge problem of the
nineteenth century, many Native Americans were forced to abandon their lands and
settle on reservations. After settlement, there was little care for them and
eventually they began to suffer greatly. That encroachment has caused something
of a domino effect, in which they were forced to assimilate and seems to be
losing their culture, bit by bit. Much of the younger Native American population
can no longer speak their cultural tongue and are becoming more accustomed to
American technology, which doesn’t help.
After reviewing these essays in union with what we have learned thus far,
a common theme emerges of a loss of identity within our society that demands
assimilation. Of course, we have gleaned this is so, but the cost and extent of
such a demand begins to be realized the deeper one goes into the study. The
differing perspectives of the essays are a good companion to the reading
assignments. Sometimes the texts can feel so removed over time, and I think
writing about them now gives them a much more significant impact.
