Spelunking Through Literacy

Most can agree that throughout the world there exist groups’ social, ethnicity  and races whose cultures encumbrance the “identity” of the countries they call home.  In Britain, there is mostly an Anglo-Saxon white- English majority whose taste in food, music and language define the land.  The same can be said for the United States, that it is a mostly Anglo-Saxon white, Christian society, where the Caucasian majority influences and dictates every cultural aspect of the country and determines the norms.  Yet, unlike most countries, the United States, with its massive influx of minority groups, has a growing count of sub-cultures whose people attempt to balance out there existence within the mass white culture.

Only in the last three years do I now consider myself a voluntary byproduct of education in America, as a conscious participate choosing: what is valuable knowledge, who my mentors will be, making my own decisions and living with the consequences.  Education in America is not just based on teaching a particular craft or trade, but founded in the idea of instilling the American philosophy in each of us, the idea of the American dream; how hard work breeds success, the concept that not all of us will be winners but to fight for that dream, fight for a chance of success.  This is the narrative that as Americans we all in some way share and adhere to, one that I have allowed to be the duel-impulse driving force behind my pursuit of knowledge.

Most can agree that throughout the world there exist groups’ social, ethnicity  and races whose cultures encumbrance the “identity” of the countries they call home.  In Britain, there is mostly an Anglo-Saxon white- English majority whose taste in food, music and language define the land.  The same can be said for the United States, that it is a mostly Anglo-Saxon white, Christian society, where the Caucasian majority influences and dictates every cultural aspect of the country and determines the norms.  Yet, unlike most countries, the United States, with its massive influx of minority groups, has a growing count of sub-cultures whose people attempt to balance out there existence within the mass white culture.
In India Arie’s single, “I am Not My Hair”, she takes the idea of beauty and success associated with straight “Barbie like” hair, and questions the validity of this interpretation of success. She also bringing to light the issue within African American culture; that black hair is not “good hair” and must be changed to be “good hair”, thus black isn’t good, and you must change to be and internalize the everyday images within pop culture, and capitalist society.  While at the same time she avoids the trap that writers, Michele Wallace (invisibility Blues) and Bell Hooks (Yearning), presenting “criticism [that] take the form of talking about “good” or “bad” images… [representing] fact and suggests that there is one accurate way to represent a person from a minority group…” (Frecceno, 15), and is able to promote her ideas as alternatives and not critiques.  In doing so India Arie is able to assert her point of view and at the same time concedes to the existing ideas without offending.  Her strategy also offers those that consider her argument something concrete to compare it to.  Not only that, but by not criticizing the existing standard she does not alienate any one group.

This section is a ode to my growth as a writer, staring back in 2010.  The first most raw piece is Immigrant Eyes, then Duel Edge Pen, a final paper, and my favorite piece is Idealizing Barbie.



Instead of reflecting on revisions of the same piece I have chosen to instead reflect on my overall literary growth and evolution using these three pieces.

 



Also for those who would like to read the complete versions of these essays simple click the "Dive Deeper" button on each clip.