Culture refers to society or group in which many or all people live and think in the same ways. Culture distinguishes one human group from others. Culture is our roots, where you came from and heredity. In The Encarta reference Library, it explains the characteristics of culture is based on symbols and signs referring to understanding of ideas, objects, feelings, or behaviors and the ability to communicate with them using language.
Culture is usually shared over times. People in the same society share common behaviors and ways of thinking through culture. Culture is learned. While people biologically inherit many physical traits and behavioral instincts, culture is socially inherited. A person must learn culture from other people in a society. Culture is adaptive. People use culture to flexibly and quickly adjust to changes in the world around us.
Identity is who you are within a culture. Each person possesses different characteristics that give them identity. For one to be different than another, it is associated with his or her identity. The word identity is dealing with the self and not a group although culture also has certain identities. For instance, one can be identified with a group because of certain characteristics such as Chinese people having slanted eyes. If one Chinese migrated to a western region and live in that western culture for a good period of time, he or she will adapt to the culture but you will be able to distinguish that person to be a Chinese. One also can be identified with a race, language, feature, etc. In fact, identity does not change but culture can.
After reading the poem, Mexican Begin Jogging, by Gary Soto, one can assume cultural traits and identities (Meyer 719). One can almost stereotype that Mexicans works in factories, and at times, will flee their country to the United States. When the Mexican shouted that he was American, by his accent one can tell his identity that he wasn't. As the Mexican wanted to live in the United States and he placed one dollar in the attendant's hand trying to bribe, which kind of stereotype Mexicans as bribers.
The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature (Meyer 338), in the short story Revelation by Flannery O'Connor, the characters in the story are identified by their physical characteristics, and some are even identified with racial terms. Mrs. Turpin, the main character in the story is actually prejudiced and makes many statements using racial jargons. Mr. Turpin refers herself as the higher class woman as “well-dress and pleasant”. She also labels the teenage girl as “ugly” and the poor woman as “white trashy”. When Mrs. Turpin converses with her black workers, she often uses the word “nigger” in her thoughts. She doesn't want to take the time to get to know anyone because of their culture. Mrs. Turpin is very close-minded.
Mrs. Turpin is one sad character because she knows what she does is disrespectful and deceitful but loves her self for doing so. Until Mrs. Turpin had a revelation a “visionary” came over her that whites, blacks, and any cultural race, will march toward the bridge of heaven. And people like Mrs. Turpin was left behind, she hated the fact that she wasn't even seen. Mrs. Turpin known as Mrs. Perfect faces the truth that we are all alike and none of us is better than another nor by race, culture or heredity because at the end, we are all alike.
In the movie, Fools Rush In, directed by Andy Tennant, emphasizes how love can get difficult by living in two different cultures. The director chose two different characters that came from different backgrounds, culture, and different ethic views. Isabel Fuentes, who is one of the main characters, is a Mexican photographer. Also Alex Whitman, the second main character, is a young white American construction supervisor. Isabel and Alex may come from two different cultures but their love for each other was the same. Isabel and Alex were complete opposite in their religions, cultures, and lifestyles and these things caused the relationship to have many problems.
At first, their families disagree with their relationship. It caused a crash of customs and ideas developed in their families and in their relationship because of their different cultural and national backgrounds. Their family members wanted the couple Isabel and Alex to marry someone who came from the same background or heritage. At the end, they realized love is love no matter what culture they are from or their values, because at the end they are all the same. The question is, “What if finding the love of your life meant changing the life that you loved? Isabel and Alex did because it was out of love and nothing in their life before was better than that.
Both culture and identity plays a major role in our everyday lives. We as a society should be more open-minded towards different cultures and all races. Though there are times we might not understand one's point of view, we should still try to acknowledge and learn. Everyone is unique in his or her own way. Remember don't judge a book by its cover.
