Identity and Culture Essay -- Cultural Identity Essays

When we think about our identity we often think about the way we look. Such features as hair color, eye color, skin tone, height and weight come to mind. Whilst these features are part of our identity, there are many more complex factors that make us who we are. Whilst psychological issues are paramount to the formation of our identity, I will be addressing the nature of our identity in relation to socio-cultural factors (Austin, 2002, p.9). During the course of this essay I will be discussing the term of Identity and some of the axes of identity, including Race, Class and Gender. It is important to understand some of the significant issues of identity so that we have more of an understanding of who and what we are, which in turn may help us to begin to better understand others. Identity The New English Dictionary (1999) defines identity as "the distinguishing characteristics of a person." Our identity makes us who and what we are. It could be described as a sense of belonging and about having things in common with others (Weeks, 1990, cited in Austin, 2002, p.1). "Identity is a dynamic feature of social life. That is, it is something that is constantly evolving and changing. For some people, identity can change rapidly and dramatically, of course, but for most of us our identities evolve slowly and imperceptibly" (Livesey, n.d., p.1). There are many factors to consider in understanding the process of identity formation. Structuralists believe that we are the product of our society. Therefore there are many environmental and social factors that go into the formation of an identity. For example children that grow up in the bush will have different influences in their lives to children that grow up in the cit... ...d.). "A" Level Sociology, Teaching Notes for Students. Culture and Identity, 6. Sources of Identity. World Wide Web: http://freespace.virgin.net/chris.livesey/cculture.htm [2002, July, 24]. MÃ ¡rquez, C (1999). Empowering Chicanos Through Self-identity. Faculty Mentor: Olga Vasquez, Ph.D., Department of Communication. World Wide Web: http://www.communication.ucsd.edu/LCM/ectsi.html [30 July, 2002]. Weeks, J. (1990). The value of difference. In J. Austin (Ed.), Culture & Identity (pp.1-3). NSW: Pearson Education Australia. Woolfolk, A.E. (1998). Educational Psychology. Seventh Edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. McDonald, Kevin (2000). Pressing Questions: explorations in sociology. Issue two. Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd.

Annie Dillard’s The Chase Essay

Annie Dillard’s essay, â€Å"The Chase†, uses many rhetorical elements in the thesis to reach her audience; some of these include parataxis, climax, and hyperbole. In the essay Dillard states that â€Å"The point was that he had chased us passionately without giving up, and so he had caught us. † This helps clarify the thesis as, childhood is a playful time and adults should maintain a playful spirit. â€Å"The Chase† is about the author and her neighborhood friends throwing snow balls at cars one winter day. The day was going well and without trouble, no adults were bothering their fun, until someone hit a black Buick that was driving down the street. The man in the car then stopped the car and got out and started to chase the children. The man chased them through hedges, down streets, every backyard and block after block. At this point it was only Dillard and her friend Mikey running from the man because the other children when their separate ways. Eventually the man caught them because the children grew tired. The man only said â€Å"You stupid kids. † Dillard describes this statement as â€Å"redundant, a mere formality. † Dillard believes the point of the chase was that the man chased them passionately, without giving up, and all he did was say those three words she will never forget. Dillard uses many rhetorical elements to help prove the thesis, one of these is climax. She uses this element to keep a suspenseful mood for the reader wanting and waiting to see what happens next. An example of this in the story is when the black Buick was coming down the street and when the car makes it to them they unleash snowballs at the car. The example of climax in this part of the story is when the driver starts to open the door; this is a climax because the reader is waiting to see what happens and starts asking questions in their head like what is the driver going to do? is he going to hurt the kids or is he just going to yell at them? Another example of climax occurs as the driver finally catches the kids on the top of the hill by their jackets. This is an example of climax because the author builds up the essay by adding suspenseful phrases and because the reader is asking questions again such as is the driver going to hurt the children or is he going to bring them back to their parents. Both examples help the audience comprehend Dillard’s thesis by conveying to the reader that adults should have a more childlike spirit. Another rhetorical element that Dillard uses in her essay is hyperbole; she uses this element to exaggerate parts of the story to keep the reader interested. An example of this is when Dillard is talking about what would have happened if they ran all of the way to the Panama Canal and what the man would have done if the man caught them. Dillard says, â€Å"He could have fried Mikey Fahey and me in boiling oil, say or dismembered us in piecemeal, or staked us to anthills. Another example of a hyperbole is â€Å"If in that snowy backyard the driver of the black Buick had cut off our heads, Mikey’s and mine, I would have died happy, for nothing has required so much of me since as being chased all over Pittsburg in the middle of winter—running terrified, exhausted—by this sainted, skinny, furious red headed man who wished to have a word with us. † In this quote, Dillard is exaggerating the fact that the man would have cut off their heads and that she would have died happy because the man had committed to chase them all day, meanwhile, all the man wanted to do was scold them. Dillard also uses a third rhetorical element in her essay, parataxis. Dillard uses this to help her story by writing independent clauses to emphasize what she is writing. An example of this in Dillard’s essay is after Mikey and she get caught by the man. Dillard writes â€Å"We three stood staggering, half blinded, coughing, in an obscure hilltop backyard; a man in his twenties, a boy, a girl. He had released our jackets, our pursuer, our captor our hero: He knew we weren’t going anywhere. This helps in explaining the thesis that this experience was just like a playful game of tag between the man and the two friends. Another example of the rhetorical element is â€Å"It was a long time before he could speak. I had some difficulty at first recalling why we were there. My lips felt swollen; I couldn’t see out of the sides of my eyes; I kept coughing. † This example shows how tired they were from running around the community that almost seems like a childish game of tag, explaining the thesis. Throughout â€Å"The Chase,† Dillard utilizes rhetorical elements that serve as a function. They help her convey meaning and purpose in her writing. Three examples that I found evident were climax, hyperbole and parataxis. The use of all three of these elements made the story interesting and ultimately leads the reader to a better understanding of the thesis because it creates a more lifelike feel to the story by the reader being able to relate to it.

The Life of Theodore Roosevelt - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 710 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/08/05 Category People Essay Level High school Tags: Theodore Roosevelt Essay Did you like this example? In 1858 a boy named Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York, New York. His mother, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, along with his father, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., not only challenged but inspired Roosevelt to become one of our countrys most reformative presidents. As a child Roosevelt was fascinated by nature and history. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Life of Theodore Roosevelt" essay for you Create order His father advised Roosevelt You have the mind but not the body and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make your body, so Roosevelt began to practice boxing, wrestling, and jujitsu. He believed keeping his body fit allowed him to maintain a fighting edge. Roosevelt was always a curious student and excelled academically. He decided to continue his education at Harvard University, originally, intending to become a scientist. With his fathers death in 1878 Roosevelt had a change in heart and decided to attend Columbia University where he found his passion in politics and historical writing. After marrying his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee, Roosevelt began his political career as a republican in the New York State Assembly in 1881. He quickly became known as a reformer due to his opposition in corruption. His political career took a break after his wife died only days after giving birth to his first-born daughter, Alice, along with his mother dying the same day. Heartbroken, Roosevelt moved out to Dakota where he spent the next couple years hunting and writing. It was during this time that Roosevelt found his passion for nature. In 1886 Roosevelt moved back home to New York and married Edith Kermit Carow. It wasnt until several years later that Roosevelts military interests unveiled when President William McKinley appointed him as assistant secretary to the navy. Roosevelt pushed to strengthen the fleet and fight the war against Spain. When war finally began Roosevelt resigned his position to join Colonel Wood in organizing a volunteer cavalry of men know as the Rough Riders. A group best remembered for their valiant efforts against Spain in the battle of San Juan. Roosevelts name was once again anticipated in politics. In 1900, delegates secured Roosevelts nomination as vice president for McKinleys party. Roosevelt didnt want to run because vice president usually meant the end of a mans political career. Nonetheless, McKinley- Roosevelt defeated William Jennings Bryan. Just one year later, in September of 1901 an assassination attempt was made on McKinley who died a week later from an infection. Roosevelt then became the youngest President of the United States. As a president, Roosevelt made movements against big corporations he felt were attempting to monopolize an industry, he soon became known as the Trustbuster. He also pushed businesses to improve labor conditions, implementing workers compensation and child labor laws. In 1906 Roosevelt passed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. All these regulations remain in place today, but it was Roosevelts conservationist movements that he is most remembered for. He became the first president to speak out against the exploitation of our natural resources and claimed 150 million acres of land to be used as national parks. In 1906, Roosevelt became the first American to win a Nobel Peace Prize due to his efforts in acting as a mediator in the midst of the Russian- Japanese war. When election time came in 1904 Roosevelts Square Deal policy to the common man allowed him to easily defeat his democratic opponent Alton B. Parker. Roosevelt then announced he would not run again next election and chose William Howard Taft as his successor, who won in 1908. Roosevelt spent the next year traveling the world but couldnt seem to stay away from politics. In 1912 Roosevelt ran against Taft as the republican nominee but after losing he abandoned the republican party and created the progressive party, a party that promoted strong government regulation over businesses. Roosevelt ultimately defeated Taft but came in second to Woodrow Wilson. In the election of 1916 Roosevelt rejected the progressive party when they nominated him to run against Wilson. Roosevelts motivation died with his sons passing in World War I. His health soon began to decline and in January 1st of 1919 Roosevelt passed away in his sleep in Oyster Bay, New York. He later on joined George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln when he was enshrined on Mount Rushmore.