Cultural Identity Literature Review Cultural identity is not only how one views themselves, but a large part of how society views them. Two major aspects of one’s own identity are the aspects of one’s reputations and also their ethnic background. I believe that is the combination of both of these (customs and traditions and ethnic backround) that truly effect how society treats a person.
One huge aspect of how people are viewed is their own reputation. In Sue Grafton’s novel A is for Alibi, Kinsey Millhone is a well-respected private investigator known for her hardheadedness, in some cases this benefits her. It is Kinsey’s reputation of success and determination alone that brings an interesting client to her door and starts the plot of the novel. In this case, society (the client) had taken a look at an aspect of Kinsey’s identity and chose to go to her. Another example is what often happens when people stand in her way. When a sexist man tries to intimidate Kinsey into backing down, she simply tells him who she is and he’s the one
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One good example of this is how some white teachers treat young Native American students. In Robert Lake’s letter, An Indian Father’s Plea, Robert’s son Wind Wolf has been deemed mentally slow to no fault of his own by his white teacher. Wind Wolf is not so, but his teacher does not share nor understand his ethnic background, and had judged him regardless. Another example of this is how some white people blatantly stereotype the Native American high school students on Native American land reservations. In Rebecca Clarreu’s article Left Behind, Native student Savannah Holiday says she was suspended every year of middle school, once after being slurred at by a student. Sadly, stereotyping based on one’s ethnic background is not uncommon in society. Good or bad, a huge portion of how society treats an individual is based on their ethnic