ipl-logo

Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Analysis

890 Words4 Pages

Has there even been a moment in your life where you could figure out In the article Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, by Horace Miner, American culture is satirized due to the way some practices and beliefs are so deeply indoctrinated into us that the American people fail to recognize how strange all of them really are. In “1848: When America Came of Age,” by Kurt Andersen, American society from the 19th century, most specifically the year 1848, is described by a series of movements and the emergence of the many beliefs that dominate American culture. In American culture, faith without question and with the expectation that progress will come because of it is demonstrated in all aspects of life.
Practices so common and mainstream are never questioned …show more content…

The faith that drives this belief is deeply rooted in the American culture. Andersen demonstrates this idea when he speaks of, “the most fantastical version of the American Dream” (Andersen 1). What he is referring to is the “yearn for instant fortune and easy prosperity” which was founded by pioneers to happen to strike gold out in California (Andersen 1). It accentuates how Americans want everything instantly without putting any real work or effort into it. In other words, by wishing hard enough, they can make progress towards something superior. Miner also highlights this by explaining that people believe so deeply that by going to the hospital, they will get better. The “latipso” is supposed to be people go to receive treatment and recover, but it seems like it is the place “where you go to die” (Miner 3). So much faith is thrust into the health care system, however science and medicine can only do so much. The fact that some people prevail against their illnesses is enough proof to keep their faith in the system steady. Humans need to have this blind faith in order to “advance to higher stages of civilization” (Miner 5). An example of that faith put into action was when America defeated Mexico and somehow, “in one stroke extending the U.S. from the Texas border to the Pacific” (Andersen 1). There needs to be some faith for an exceptional future that can be worked towards, and that faith is always present in American culture where advanced horizons are always in

Show More
Related

Summary Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema

285 Words | 2 Pages

After reading “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” I believe the Nacirema are the Americans. First Nacirema is American spelled backwards. I also think it is America because it said “North American group living… Little is known of their origin, al- though tradition states that they came from the east.”

Read More

Summary Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

480 Words | 2 Pages

Jennine Selina G. Boado 11418877 INTHROP Reading #2 Body Ritual among the Nacirema Horace Miner’s “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” discusses the magical beliefs and practices of the North American group called “Nacirema”. By re-reading the article I have found out that Miner created this article to by using symbolization to look at the “vanity” of the lifestyle of the Americans and to provide an outside point of view of the “Nacirema” or “American’s” culture. From the article, Miner characterizes the Naciremas as highly focused on their appearance and health which signifies American’s obsession with their personal apperance. Their fundamental belief, according to Miner is that the “human body is ugly and the only way to avert these characteristics is through the use of rituals and ceremonies”.

Read More

Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Sparknotes

1269 Words | 6 Pages

In Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, Horace Miner develops a weird, quirky society called the Nacirema that is made up of natives who go about their day doing odd rituals and tasks. The purpose of the story was to have people judge other cultures less harshly by making them step back and think about what they were perceiving. Additionally, Miner calls attention to how similar cultures are from region to region without even knowing. Sociologists from the perspectives of functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interaction would interpret Nacirema society differently and in a unique way. Throughout the story Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, many ideas that align with the three theoretical perspectives are blatantly displayed by the Nacirema natives.

Read More

Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

362 Words | 2 Pages

Body Ritual among the Nacirema was written by Horace Miner in 1956. This piece was crafted as an excellent accumulation of the techniques of ironic, symbolism and use of a didactic tone that made this piece a great success. An example of where irony is used in the text is the way he makes us see the tribe as foreign and exotic and we judge it, but then we realize that Nacirema is American spelled backwards and the reader see that it is not a foreign tribe - but indeed the modern American people themselves. There is also mass irony around Notgnihsaw and the chopping down of the cherry tree in which the Spirit of Truth resided, because Notgnihsaw spelled backwards is Washington. Miner is using irony because America is supposed to be built on

Read More

Analysis Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

466 Words | 2 Pages

The Nacirema’s are said to be a tribe located between Canada and Mexico. With very exotic beliefs and customs, the Nacirema’s are viewed as vein and selfish. They focus on an obsession and a hatred of the human body. If you have not already figured it out, Nacirema is American spelled backwards. In the essay Body Ritual among the Nacirema, Horace Miner explains American culture and customs which he finds to be very exotic and unusual.

Read More

The Body Ritual Of The Nacirema Analysis

488 Words | 2 Pages

Francis Bacon a member of Queen Elizabeth I’s Court, in his essay “Of Studies” wrote “some books are to be read only in parts…and with diligence”. Bacon’s perspective on reading is that no matter the size if done with diligence and a willingness to try can provide great insight. A reader reading the loss of a loved one can gain an understanding of loss without actually having experienced the loss. Reading about other experiences, or situations can coerce readers to empathize with the author’s standpoint.

Read More

Summary Of Body Ritual Among The Naricema By Horace Miner

547 Words | 3 Pages

In the article " Body Ritual among The Naricema", Horace Miner speaks about a tribe and thier extremely perculiar behaviors. He goes on to explain how this tribe performs odd daily rituals, discussing them as unfamiliar people. By Miner speaking of specific behaviours and these "rituals" performed by this tribe, he allows people to gain an understanding of how cultural misunderstandings can occur by not having the knowledge of a society's basis. In this article it is obvious that Miner is making reference to the American people, but by portraying them as an odd tribe with strange behaviours, you as the reader are forced to try to understand the rituals and customs from an etic perspective. Miner often uses satire to show The Naricema or American people as being obssessed with rituals based on the vanity of the body.

Read More

Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Analysis

1419 Words | 6 Pages

Horace Miner, a American Anthropologist wrote an academic essay titled “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema.” In this article Miner described some of the bizarre rituals and practices of the “Nacirema” which the reader comes to find out that he is talking about North Americans. The way Miner goes into detail about how these people live makes them seem foreign. Thus making the norm for an American lifestyle seem odd because the certain type of lingo Miner uses to make this “tribe” more exotic then the actually are. His point in doing this is to show the reader how obnoxious anthropologist can be when they are explain a different culture.

Read More

Analysis Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

746 Words | 3 Pages

Horace Miner, the author of “Body Ritual among the Nacirema”, used very interesting and descriptive choice of words to describe the routines that modern Americans go through from an outsider point of view. He gives different terms to describe mundane routines, like brushing your teeth, and exaggerate the details as something that is bizarre. Some rituals Miner described as illogical because there was a low rate of success in what they are trying to achieve. This reveals that what determines something to be socially acceptable is not through logic, but only though the popularity of the community. One of the rituals that Miner described as illogical but everyone still do the ritual was the fact that the people kept going to the “holy-mouth-man”, or also known as the dentist, even if their teeth are still decaying.

Read More

Summary Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

675 Words | 3 Pages

In the article “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner, Miner explains, while adding his own critique occasionally, the very unique yet private culture and rituals found among the Nacirema people. Miner explains in this article that the Nacirema people have a very strong magic based belief system in their culture and that belief system, composed of rituals, along with the want for economic wealth is what drives them to complete the tasks in their everyday lives. The article also reveals how the people focus a great deal of time on their body, with a particular focus on their physical appearance, in addition to their economic standing. Miner describes a daily ritual that Nacirema people go through to help them focus on improving their

Read More

Synthesis Essay: The American Dream

1415 Words | 6 Pages

The United States is a capitalist country that thrives off of the American Dream since it promotes the rags to riches idea to force people to believe that through endless amounts of work, they can reach to the top. The American people all have different ideals when it comes to the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote The Great Gatsby, used his novel as a way to promote his version of the

Read More

Analysis Of James Truslow Adams's 'The Epic Of America'

754 Words | 4 Pages

American Dream James Truslow Adams, in his book which was written in 1931 and called “ The Epic of America” wrote about American dream, that American dream is about being richer and living in better life. Also that American dream is more materialistic, that people work a lot of hours to gain things which they want to have. Such as luxury cars, big houses. They want to be wealthy, rich and have all expensive things and live in a world of money and wealth.

Read More

What Is The American Dream In The 1920s

650 Words | 3 Pages

The American dream is an illusion that is deeply implanted in the minds of the people, it sets a bar for life achievement and offers hope to work hard to achieve their dreams. As for Americans, they are raised in a society to where they are expected to make lots money and to have a healthy family. After all in our society success is largely based off positions of power and financial stability. For example, in The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there were multiple interpretations of the ideal American dream in the 1920s. In the 1920s, due to the growth of materialism, people advertised and fancied the power of money to fulfilling their dreams.

Read More

Analysis Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema

811 Words | 4 Pages

In the study called Body Ritual Among the Nacirema, the author calls the rituals and ceremonies the people perform “excessive”. They are insane rituals that people in America wouldn’t seem to think about doing. They sound so different, and unusual. As one reads the fieldwork, it raises a lot of questions and concerns. To anyone from another country it would seem these rituals are excessive because of the way they are performed, and the things they use to perform them.

Read More

The Great Gatsby Modern Generation Analysis

435 Words | 2 Pages

Modern Generations People in today’s modern society focus more on social media and technology, as the world is advancing. People are relating to the present more and more. It seems as if there is no privacy and that the world is just becoming more hard to connect with our surroundings. The question is not why this is happening, but how is it happening. Society demands a kind of black and white world because it fears the color in between.

Read More

More about Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document