How Does Culture Influence Identity

Have you ever thought about how culture affects and influences identity? Culture influences our decisions in life, our identity, and discovering whom we want to be. It impacts every aspect of our lives, from the way we grow up to the clothes we wear. Furthermore, when a person migrates to a different country or even a different place; culture goes with the person. It is a part of who people are. Moreover, culture is a form of art; it is the traditions that have been passed from generation to generation. At times, a person can easily make the transition from one culture to another. As did, Mita in Clothes by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. On the other hand, some people take on the new culture and embrace it. As shown in Miss Sahib by Ruth Prawer

Additionally, Divakaruni portrays Mita and her struggles with identity by using clothes as a symbol of her past and current life. Although, Mita does not completely forget about her culture. She still embraces her culture traditions by wearing the saris. At the beginning of the story, Mita is intimidated by the arranged marriage. Not only is she going to marry a person she does not know but she is going to move to another country, the United States. “I’d be going halfway around the world to live with a man I hadn’t even met” (Divakaruni 582). Consequently, something about living in America and the culture she was introduced too, allowed her to lay the foundation to entwine both cultures possibly. Mita decided to embark on American culture by wearing the clothes Somesh bought her. She still wanted to follow her culture and the traditions it entailed; it is why she continued to wear her saris in the presence of her in-laws. Furthermore, when Somesh sneaks in with a pair of jeans and a shirt, the impression the clothes dream up is a form of freedom. “Late at night I stand in front of our bedroom mirror trying on clothes…smuggled in past his parents. I’m breathless with suppressed laughter” (Divakaruni 585). As well as the American clothes brought new hope, her old clothes kept her grounded. The saris and the different colors symbolized her life

At the beginning of the story, the setting is described as a rough place. “It was not the sort of place in which one would have expected to find an Englishwoman like Miss Tuhy..” (Jhabvala 560). Moreover, Miss Tuhy is an older woman who was able to have the choice of moving to another country. Unlike, Mita who did not have a choice. As a consequence, to this Miss Tuhy was excited and content with living in India. She made the decision to move and become a teacher in India. “She was, by profession and by passionate inclination, a teacher...” (Jhabvala 560). Miss Tuhy loved India and embraced the culture as much as the children. She enjoyed teaching. “She did it with enthusiasm, for she loved the country and her students” (Jhabvala 560). Furthermore, Miss Tuhy adapted to her place of living and the culture around her. As the story continues, the readers learn Miss Tuhy travels to Simla Hills, where she remembers her culture and realizes that she misses it. Unlike, Mita, Miss Tuhy does not embrace both cultures. Miss Tuhy chooses the Indian culture and forgets about her culture. After visiting, Simla Hills, she realizes how much she misses it. “She did not want to be back. She longed now for the green mountains, and the clean, cool air missed the boarding house with its English landlady and very clean stairs and bathrooms” (Jhabvala 570). In the end, Miss Tuhy