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What Is The Theme Of Caste By Isabel Wilkerson

2714 Words11 Pages

Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste” pushes the boundaries on the cross-sections of the past and the present, intertwining the balance between our history and the course of our actions in the present. Wilkerson eloquently introduces the idea that the actions of our ancestors are still affecting our mentalities, and how we speak. Furthermore, she uses caste to explain that we are at the tip of the iceberg, and that there is much more to these topics under the surface, poetically dissecting the nuances of our history and how we are individually impacted by it.
My Indian identity has introduced me to the Caste system, as my culture is deep-rooted in this system. The Caste system in India is built on the idea that one group of people, the Brahmins, are …show more content…

American- Born-Confused-Desi as they call us, is the label we carry, resulting in people like me feeling disconnected from the country we were born in and grew up in, and an even greater disconnect from the country that our culture, heritage, and ethnicity is from. We are foreigners in both places always trying to fit in, but never quite succeeding. Wilkerson astutely articulates this feeling stating, “None of us are ourselves” (pg 53). Her ability to explain that we are all impressions, interactions, and pieces of every person that comes through our lives, expresses how we are so influenced by the actions of others. I have attempted to decipher the fragments of my own identity but usually come up empty, leaving me feeling isolated that I do not identify with either of my supposed …show more content…

A perfect example of this is my hometown; I live in an upper-middle-class town that is mostly White and Asian and has one of the best high schools in the state. However, the next town over is an impoverished area with a below-average graduation rate and a predominantly Hispanic and Black population. When driving between the two towns, the difference is incredibly jarring, and it is very clear which town gets more funding and more attention. Even with the towns being in the same county, there is a stark difference and it calls into question when discrimination becomes systemic. The allocation of resources between the two towns is disproportionate and even though the more poverty-stricken town needs those resources more, my more affluent town reaps the

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In the interweavings of the tapestry of American history, the threads of caste wrap around a story that goes beyond time. It is a story of struggle, oppression, and resilience. Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” takes readers on a journey through our nation’s haunted past, where the echoes of slavery and the residue of segregation still resonate in the fabric of modern American society. Wilkerson peels back the layers of history and reveals the origins of caste, illuminating a deep and complex tale that demands introspection and reflection from the reader. Her exploration is not merely a surface-level endeavor, but a voyage into the very soul of a nation, unearthing the uncomfortable truths America has hidden away in

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The caste system is divided into four main categories- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. The Brahmins who were mainly intellectuals are believed to come from Brahma’s head. The Kshatriyas, warriors and rulers, came from his arms. Vaishyas, traders, were created from his thighs. And at the bottom were the Shudras came from Brahma’s feet and did all the factory jobs.

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Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents matters because it offers a powerful critique of systemic inequality, provides a framework for understanding complex social structures, and calls for collective efforts to dismantle unjust hierarchies. It enriches our understanding of the past and present, while inspiring hope for a more equitable future. The relation of this book to other books that exist now is seen through “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander and “Racism without Racists” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva as it builds a new perspective of caste systems functioning as social hierarchies which are different than the race-based frameworks in these books. The purpose/main argument the author was trying to make with this book was to introduce the concept of caste, compare the U.S. caste system with those in India and Nazi Germany, demonstrate the impact of caste on various aspects of life including health, identity, and economic costs, and to change the readers thinking of social norms into a way to work towards a more equitable

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Someone 's identity defines who they are. There are no two identities that are the same. , Everyone is unique in different ways. Finding oneself may take time and might not be exactly what you are expecting. In the novel “Milkweed” by Jerry Spinelli, the protagonist Jack assumes many identities but ultimately does not know who he is.

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Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson argues that the United States, as well as other countries have a caste system that is based on race and history due to slavery and discrimination. Wilkerson explains that caste is a social order that is enforced through social and cultural norms and that it is different from class or race-based discrimination. Additionally, she argues that caste is a system of social classification that is based on ancestry and birth. In the United States, the caste system is based on race with white people at the top, and black people at the bottom. She believes that this caste system is implanted in American society and that it has roots in our history, slavery and Jim Crow segregation.

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The caste system holds the view that a person's caste influences their decision-making regarding marriage, employment, education, etc. Despite the fact that it is still in use today, the caste system underwent some major changes over time in India. In today’s time, according to Pew Research center they stated how in India, caste segregation is still widely practiced. For instance, a huge percentage of Brahmins said they would not accept a member of a scheduled caste as a neighbor. However, the majority of Indians believe that caste discrimination is not a major issue in the nation, and two-thirds of those who identify with scheduled castes or tribes also believe that their specific groups don't face a lot of prejudice.

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This value placed upon self identification and differentiation from the group is particularly telling of how multiple different cultures came together and clashed multiple times along the way. The american ideal is a constant struggle between fitting in and claiming your self differences as valuable and needed. The battle is waged against later

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One of the main parts of Hinduism is the caste system, which is called Varna in their Sanskrit language. It is believed that, “Ideal society functions properly when everyone knows their role (Color as Religion).” The Bhramins is the highest class of the Varna system followed by Kshatryias, Vaishya, Sudras, and then the Untouchables being on the bottom (Color as Religion). People are born into a certain category, and it determines their everyday etiquette and their Dharma. Dharma goes hand in hand with Varna.

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The caste system has been in India’s culture for a long amount of time. It is still around in India because people’s minds will not change about it. This practice has had effects on people, but growing up in a certain caste people believe it is right and just. Even people who are peasants think that is okay and do not desire to be in a higher caste, treated with respect.

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I am an international student from Vietnam who came to the United States to pursue higher education. I was brought up in a very unique culture and family traditions, and this has had a strong influence on my beliefs and mindsets. Together with all the experiences that I have been through so far in my life, I have formed some social and personal identities that I might or might be aware of. Such identifies are an important tool that can stay with me and remind me every day of who I am and my origin.

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Some might argue that India’s Caste system is closely related to However, Caste and social hierarchy were more different because Caste happens over different lifetimes, and social hierarchy can happen over one. In the caste system people could move their position in their current life, however they could have moved up or down depending on how they acted in their last life. In the Social hierarchy, men could move up or down depending on whom they married, however women could not move throughout the chain. “Women were generally seen as inferior to men, dominated by their bodies rather than their minds.” (McKay pg

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