Two Ways To Live In America Analysis

Words: 915
Pages: 4

Albany
Jordan
Chastity

Can culture really influence your view on the world around you? In the stories “Everyday Use” and “Two Ways to Belong in America”, they all defend that your culture changes your viewpoint on certain topics. On the other hand, “Two Kinds” shows that you don't always have to follow and believe the culture that you were born into.

To begin with,in the short story ‘’Everyday Use'’ by Alice Walker, Maggie and Dee perceive their culture in different ways even though they come from the same one. Maggie feels as if she should keep carrying on her culture and embrace. On the other hand, Dee thinks she should go deeper and embrace the roots of her culture. For instance, ‘’She can have them Mama ,’ she said, like somebody
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Mira moved to America to study child psychology and preschool education. Soon after her sister, Bharati, followed her to America to study creative writing. At the time they were almost alike, in both appearance and culture and even had the same plan as explained in the text, “We would endure our two years in America, secure our degrees, then return to India to marry the grooms of our father’s choosing.” , but their choices changed their plan. Mira stayed in America and married someone of the same culture and kept her Indian citizenship so she could return to her home country when she couldn’t work anymore. Mira also kept her Indian clothing attire and never changed her appearance. Bharati married someone of American/Canadian culture and changed her appearance and clothing attire and possibly being seen differently by her family for marrying outside of her ethnic community or marrying someone that is not of her father’s choosing. Both sisters stay in America, but have different views on the country. Mira expresses how she feels by stating this in the text, “‘I feel manipulated and discarded. This is such an unfair way to treat a person who was invited to stay and work here because of her talent.’” Bharati believes she is part of America and even says “I married it”, but in the end Bharati realizes that “The price that the immigrant willingly pays, and that the exile avoids, is the trauma of