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Thoughts on the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding
Thoughts on the importance of cultural relativism in attaining cultural understanding
Importance of cultural relativismin attaining cultural understanding
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The lens of cultural understanding is something one must either experience firsthand, or willingly put on, in order to understand it. Seeing life through this lens requires a willingness to change one’s thinking, to see oneself clearly, without the accoutrements of privilege, popularity, rank or wealth, and to reduce ones’ perception of self to the bare elements of character. Essentially, looking through the multicultural lens is an active form of living by the Golden Rule; to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Through devices of character and setting, symbolism and contrast, Langston Hughes, in brilliant but subtle persuasion, invites us to try the lens of understanding, and measure ourselves as God, the Father of all, and
Supreme Judge, sees His children.
In his poems, Langston Hughes treats racism not just a historical fact but a “fact” that is both personal and real. Hughes often wrote poems that reflect the aspirations of black poets, their desire to free themselves from the shackles of street life, poverty, and hopelessness. He also deliberately pushes for artistic independence and race pride that embody the values and aspirations of the common man. Racism is real, and the fact that many African-Americans are suffering from a feeling of extreme rejection and loneliness demonstrate this claim. The tone is optimistic but irritated. The same case can be said about Wright’s short stories. Wright’s tone is overtly irritated and miserable. But this is on the literary level. In his short stories, he portrays the African-American as a suffering individual, devoid of hope and optimism. He equates racism to oppression, arguing that the African-American experience was and is characterized by oppression, prejudice, and injustice. To a certain degree, both authors are keen to presenting the African-American experience as a painful and excruciating experience – an experience that is historically, culturally, and politically rooted. The desire to be free again, the call for redemption, and the path toward true racial justice are some of the themes in their
Hughes narrative essay commenced with a contradiction intended to entice the audience and evoke skepticism on his “salvation”. He portrayed real-life situations and cultural differences in the
George Schuyler’s article “The Negro Art Hokum” argues that the notion of African-American culture as separate from national American culture is nonsense. To Schuyler, all seemingly distinct elements of African-American culture and artistic endeavors from such are influenced by the dominant white American culture, and therefore, only American. The merit of Schuyler’s argument stems from the fact that it is practically impossible for one culture to exist within the confines of another without absorbing certain characteristics. The problem with Schuyler’s argument that Langston Hughes notes in his response article, “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” is that it assumes complete assimilation of African-Americans by a singular national culture. Fundamental to Hughes’ rebuttal is the allowance of a unique African-American culture extant of the standards of a singular American cultural identity. For Hughes, this unique culture lies within the working-class, out of sight of the American national culture. This culture, while neither completely African nor American, maintains the vibrant and unique roots of the African-American experience. Schuyler advocates cultural assimilation, while Hughes promotes cultural pluralism, in which minority cultures maintain their distinctive qualities in the face of a dominant national identity.
Because of that, his writing seems to manifest a greater meaning. He is part of the African-American race that is expressed in his writing. He writes about how he is currently oppressed, but this does not diminish his hope and will to become the equal man. Because he speaks from the point of view of an oppressed African-American, the poem’s struggles and future changes seem to be of greater importance than they ordinarily would. The point of view of being the oppressed African American is clearly evident in Langston Hughes’s writing.
The interaction between African American and White differed in every aspect especially toward social problems. Social interaction between these two groups was unequal. African American experienced racial discrimination. This struggle can be best described in “Cora Unashamed.” “Cora Unashamed” by Langston Hughes effectively portrays the inequality between African America...
The poem tells of a young black with a writing assignment in which he must simple write a page on whatever he wants. Hughes uses the narrator in this poem to give some insight on the obstacles that he believed stood in his path while he was trying to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. The speaker tells the audience that he is in college and that “I am the only colored student in my class” (Hughes line 10). During that time period, it was very rare for anyone of color to participate in higher education. The speaker tells us he is from the Harlem area, and he identifies with the people of Harlem just as Harlem identifies with him. Hughes understood the feelings and everyday lives of the people of Harlem, New York, and gave his fictional speaker those same understandings. The writer tells his audience of his feelings towards the white American population when he says, “I guess being colored doesn’t make me not like / the same things other folks like who are other races” (lines 25-26). Hughes’s used his speaker to explain how black and whites both want to be writers, but blacks are put at a disadvantage due to the social differences of the two. Langston Hughes wanted his readers to understand the cultural differences of people of color and people on non-color. Jeannine Johnson asserts that “for Hughes, poetry is to some degree about self-expression and self-exploration, especially when the "self" is understood to mark the identity of an individual who is always affected by and affecting a larger culture.” One of the most noted portions of this poem is when the speaker tells his instructor, “You are white / yet a part of me, as I am a part of you / That’s American” (lines 31-33). These lines tell the reader that although whites and blacks have their differences, that regardless of race they are both American. Hughes uses
Langston Hughes found himself in a world of misunderstanding. His confusion leads him to believe that there is no Jesus. This is part of the growing process. Learning from your own experience is the most important part of life. Conflict and struggle are also important aspects of life. They define each and every part of a human’s living day. Therefore, the narrative techniques used throughout this essay truly help the reader visualize what the author sees, feels, and hears.
Langston Hughes, a renowned poet from the early 1900s, has written numerous poems that have various themes and meanings. Although a lot of his poetry has to do with the struggles of African Americans during the time of slavery or during the early 1900s, Langston Hughes’ themes differ from poem to poem. One theme that appears in multiple poems of his is the theme of race, Langston Hughes uses the theme of race in his poems as a way to challenge the racial barriers that are placed on society. The theme of race is discussed in a plethora of his poems and it is important to examine a few of these poems which include, “I too, sing America”, “Theme for English b”, and “Let America be America Again”, to point out that Hughes tries to implement the sense of hope into African Americans of the time, also he uses race as a way to provide a focus on the oppression of slaves.
“Modernism should properly be seen as a culture—a constellation of related ideas, beliefs, values, and modes of perception—that came into existence during the mid to late nineteenth century, and that has had a powerful influence on art and thought on both sides of the Atlantic since roughly 1900” (Singal 7). There has been a breakaway from old traditions of thought and value towards a movement in a belief of improvement, freedom, and equality. Modernism is not determined on creating a future, but rather moving forward in society. It does not mean an individual holding onto their heritage defines them as a person; instead it is a part of who they are and culture is what they have become. Therefore, all individuals in today’s society are what make up America. Modernism has allowed individuals to work together to bring forth a stronger, improved society of progression representing development, self-determination, and equal opportunity. In Langston Hughes’s poems “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Theme for English B” are examples that embraced awareness towards modernism in American society. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” represents the heritage of African Americans and “Theme for English B” represents the culture of today. Hence, Hughes’s poems signify how the African American ancestors allowed for their heritage to grow over time characterizing who people are leading towards modernistic culture.
Hughes' racial identity was formed from both a myriad of influences that accumulated over his life and also by the shadows of events that happened before his birth. Hughes' young life was segmented into distinctly different times with distinctly different influence. Which relative he lived with and which city, state, or country he was residing in all seemed to be constantly changing and constantly dividing up his li...
Critical Essays on Langston Hughes.
Multicultural understanding is very important to law enforcement because members of minority and ethnic groups account for more than one-third of American. Scientists predict that members of minorities will make up a large part of the U.S population by year 2050. One of the most critical issues for the police in the last three decades is the tension and often hostile upright between the police and ethnic minority groups. In the past few decades, minorities’ representation has increased significantly in many U.S police departments. However, Hispanic-Americans, and other minorities are still underrepresented in U.S police departments.
Defining what is true can be a source of debate and conflict for many depending on the lenses one is looking through. Some prefer to remain ignorant of the world around them and stay in their own bubble of their own self-made truth and security, while others tend to think truth should be embraced and accepted by all. Somewhere in the middle of these two extremes is the real truth, the truth that many know in their hearts, yet still refuse to believe. In the article “Multiculturalism or Intercultural Dialogue?” by Rev. Ronald M. Ketteler, he illustrates the differences of how people of different cultures view truth and the ultimate problem concerning their approach to truth. The problem with the real truth is the narcissistic society that chooses to think their way is better: either they live their own way regardless of others, or try to get others to adapt to their way of thinking, however, knowing the real truth would show both of these ways are “judged
After I graduated from Brooklyn College, I intended to pursue my master’s degree. My excitement to continue my education was high, but it was not possible because of a family concern. At the time, my niece was diagnosed with leukemia and so I was unable to continue my education after my final semester of undergraduate study. My niece was the little sister that I never had. We battled for two years against this disease, my niece, my family, and I. My niece won her cancer battle but, then she had a transplant which complicated everything. She passed away last year and with my memories of her I hold her high as the beautiful strong warrior princess and brave little girl that I knew. This terrible experience that I lived through with my
The perception of multicultural education in the United States has certainly evolved over the preceding decades. As a corollary of the social activism and desegregation movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the emergence of ethnic studies within public education systems came about as a sincere recognition that all students should – and must – learn to participate in a diverse world (Trent, 2012). While all governments expect and sometimes require a minimal level of civil responsibility and participation from their citizens, it is impossible to overstate the importance of freedom of association, religion, speech, and political organization for protecting group difference. However, parallel to various sociopolitical disturbances that have increasingly