An Indian Father's Plea '

“Cultural identity is a broader term: people from multiple ethnic backgrounds may identify as belonging to the same culture” (Elise Trumbull and Maria Pacheco). Though people may identify themselves with a certain culture, their beliefs and actions varies and adjust to their experiences. “…We do not consciously pick and choose attributes from the total set; rather, the conditions and events in our individual lives…” (Elise Trumbull and Maria Pacheco). A person is easily influenced by their culture which also makes an impact on their beliefs as well as their view of the world which can cause conflict with another person.
A person’s outcome depends on their culture as well as their experience since their view of the world and beliefs are mainly influenced by it. According to Garcia in Understanding and meeting the challenge of student cultural diversity, “it would be impossible for any one person to possess a society’s entire cultural heritage; there are inevitably complex and

contradictory values, beliefs, and ideas within that heritage, a result of the conditions and events that individuals and groups experience” (Elise Trumbull and Maria Pacheco). This hints that it’s impossible to in heritage a culture since people adjust their beliefs causing a domino effect, influencing others as well as adjusting their beliefs. An example is how Premila in “By Any Other Name” told her mother that they should bring sandwiches to school instead of their cultural food. This demonstrates how Premila is influenced by other kids as she tries to adopt to the dominate culture, English, in school to blend in with the other kids in school. In brief, people are easily influenced by the idea, in order to get along or blend in, you need to adapt another’s cultures.
Different beliefs and environment can cause conflict as well as confusing to a child or adult.

In “An Indian Father’s Plea”, the father writes “although you in Western society may argue that such a method serves to hinder motor-skill development and abstract reasoning, we believe it forces the child to first develop his intuitive faculties, rational intellect, symbolic thinking, and five senses” (An Indian Father’s Plea). This illustrates an argument in which his son, Wind Wolf, is a slow learner in another culture (teachers) since his culture belief teaches something different from the teachers’ culture. Another example is when Wind-Wolf feels isolated at school since other students at school doesn’t accept him for his culture and even when he tries to adapt. “He feels that he does not belong [there]… Instead of being proud of his, heritage, and culture, he feels ashamed” (An Indian Father’s Plea). Though isolation can be depressing, adapting to another culture can also be

distressing.
Some may argue that without diversity, the world couldn’t develop into today, same as how a person evolves whereas diversity can cause arguments and protests like past events. An example of a protest was the Birmingham Campaign in 1963. People were protesting to remove segregation laws and create equal rights. Though the protest was successful, there were violent and tragic events afterwards. One tragic event was the Bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, an event which killed four young girls. Though today has laws about equal rights and tries to prevent segregation, the events to create those were depressing and a tragedy.
In conclusion, culture can influence a person’s belief and view about the world which can cause conflict between two or more. Culture can determine a person’s outcome since it shapes their belief and view on the world. A person can encounter conflict with another person or self as well as cause confusion on themselves. Diversity can be a source of protests and arguments. Depending on a person’s belief and experience, it can cause both a positive and negative effects and results.