Sharon Lockett

The Dual Nature of America's Dominant Culture:

When I think about defining America's dominant culture (DC), Ken Fisher's DC Moment comes to mind.  Focusing on Objective 4 as well as questions regarding the nature of the DC, Ken hypothesizes "that the dominant culture is an entity designed to sustain and protect itself by staying out of the attention of its populace while maintaining a position to distort their perception of things."  In view of our readings this semester, I believe Ken has a point.  First of all, our dominant culture protagonists are, in a sense, unseen; their presence is around, yet their individuality and personality are not.  Second, they seem to present conflicting images of themselves, thus distorting others' perceptions.  This dichotomous, sometimes deceitful, nature allows them to maintain an unmarked status while keeping them one step away from those who attempt assimilation.  It also keeps students of multicultural literature on a constant quest to "nail down" a definition for the DC.

First of all, as Ken suggests, the dominant culture of our readings is unseen.  We notice them on the streets (Hunting Mr. Heartbreak), at F. A. O. Schwarz ("The Lesson") and at Macy's (Hunting Mr. Heartbreak).  But as we get closer, they suddenly become elusive and indistinct. To Raban, they all move "with the same stiff clockwork action" and wear the "same boiled look on their faces."   Eva Hoffman shares this perception in "Lost in Translation": I cease seeing the face of one person, and start throwing myself against the wall of an invisible, impregnable, collective force."  This unseen nature also transfers to their covert assumptions about life, which further frustrates Hoffman because she is not privy to the unwritten rules of American society.  Unfortunately, she finds herself caught in a faceless "Neverland," unable to find solid footing.  The obscure culture of which she has become a part manages to keep her at bay.     

Along with maintaining invisibility and obscurity, the DC of our texts tends to be dichotomous.  One example of this tendency relates to indulgence, or a lack thereof.  One the one hand, the DC longs to gratify itself with ostentation and flamboyance, yet on the other it embraces simplicity.  For example, the Macy's shoppers in Hunting Mr. Heartbreak flock to the glitzy department store so they can indulge in the "twinkling gallery . . . of gold, silk, scent, and lizardskin" and behold the "heraldic blazonry of expensive trade names."  Some of these department-store revelers then go home to admire their exclusive high-rise apartments encrusted with furnishings such as "Georgian cornices," "carved timber mantelpiece[s]," and "vast Japanese screen[s]."  Others, however, like Diane, go home to embrace austerity.  Diane's "white drawing room [is] lightly furnished," and she enjoys the "alpine silence" of living "nowhere."   Similarly, DC member Bradford embraces the value of living lean and spare.  His focus is on "plain style" and "simple truth," and his mission is to "recover primitive order" among his followers.  Bradford's simplicity is scripture-based and hearkens to the Lord's call for religious simplicity.  In Numbers, God commands his followers to "destroy all [the] pictures" of the Canaanites.  Interestingly, this Puritan simplicity is embraced quickly by many of the DC, especially in metropolitan living areas.  However, when the DC goes uptown, it wants nothing less than New York glitz.               

The DC we have studied can also be two-faced (pardon the expression) or deceitful and can prompt questions of authenticity.  Oftentimes, the DC presents an impressive façade while behind may lie falsehood or emptiness.  A blatant, very unfortunate example of this can be found in Sui Sin Far's "In the Land of the Free."  Here, the DC lawyer paints a very positive, misleading picture of the baby's rescue while in reality he plans to draw the procedure out and cheat the couple out of their final resources.  In Carlos Bulosan's "America is in the Heart," Marcelo learns the hard lesson of DC trickery.  The "tall blonde" looks great on the outside, but inwardly she hides motives of deceit and unfairly swindles his dance tickets.  A more understated, less "harmful" example of DC artificiality may be found in Hunting Mr. Heartbreak.  As Raban arrives at the posh apartment uptown, he steps inside the "mock Tudor hall" where he admires "mock-Georgian cornices" and a hearth with "make-believe logs."  This hollow façade is, of course, a more benign version of pretense, but it uncovers the double face of the DC and prompts the question of credibility.  Unfortunately, one can never tell whether the picture is authentic or fake because the DC can be such a master of deception.

A fourth example from our readings is the DCs tendency toward selective recognition.  At times, the DC members are capable of hearing and seeing; at other times, they become deaf and blind.  Raban's Macy's shoppers can easily take in  the "vision of American plenty" as they pore over the fanciful merchandise.  They are also able to hear the "musical signatures" which emanate from the intricately appointed vignettes.  However, when these "air people" step outside, "Manhattan tunnel vision" sets in as they remember DC rules of the street: "never make eye contact" with "street people" and "don't reply" when asked questions.  Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur, in his "Description of Charles-town" alludes to this sensory adjustment: "Their ears by habit are become deaf . . . they neither see, hear, nor feel for the woes of their poor slaves, from whose painful labours all their wealth proceeds."  Crevecoeur's remark is telling.  As long as the DC can enjoy pleasing sights and sounds, it can see and hear perfectly.  But when it comes to the immigrant "outcasts" and the poor street people, its selective attention finds ways to shut out the sights and sounds of poverty and weakness. 

I admit that, up to this point, I have presented some rather negative perceptions from our readings.  Perhaps I have been too harsh in bringing these moments to light.  Personally, I don't believe that all members of the DC (if I can even define who "they" are) possess the negative tendencies I've highlighted.  I do believe, however, that some of the DC can project dual images, or multiple facets, and that as a whole, the DC manages to elude a marked status.  I won't attempt to opine the reasons for this, though, because I'm still in the research stage.  What I do know is that, as a multicultural literature student, I know less about the DC than I did before I started the course--or should I say, I am now more aware of what I don't know when it comes to figuring out this often-slippery group.  And if I am this confused, I can't imagine how immigrants must feel.  I can only hope that, as I recognize some of these DC tendencies within myself, I will be able to identify them and learn something from my self-awareness.                          

As my essay concludes with final remarks about the nature of the DC, one last comment is necessary.  Of all the DC dualities I could discuss, there exists one for which I will forever be grateful.  This is the DCs tendency to hold on to "old-fashioned" traditions while embracing a progressive modern world.  In particular, I am speaking of the American value for literacy.  Even though our country's push for literacy was based  in Protestantism, it has continued and now forms the basis of modern American education.  Bradford's record of the Mayflower Compact and his collection of written letters between New Englanders serve as markers of early American literacy emphasis.   Before him, the ancient Jews, such as Moses and Joshua, promoted literacy by maintaining written accounts of the Word of God as well as records of travels and other events.  Thanks to the staying power of this Protestant ethic, we can enjoy the ability to read, to learn, to understand, to communicate, and to express ourselves.  I'm so grateful for this aspect of DC duality.  Without it, I wouldn't be able to read the beautiful and poignant stories of multicultural literature.  And without it, America wouldn't be able to offer words of hope to the immigrants, minorities and in-between groups who seek our shores.