On the other hand the in poem Theme for English B, a black student has been asked to write a one page paper, one that will “… come out of you.” (Hughes p. 935) it was a paper that was requested by his teacher that also, just so happens to be white. In the beginning it seemed as if the student may have had a problem with writing this paper as he seemed to not know exactly what kind of response his white teacher may have been looking for. He questions “so will my page be colored that I write?” (Hughes p. 935) but then states “Being me, it will not be white. But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white -“ (Hughes p. 936) but after questioning his culture, he was able to see that what he was asked to do had nothing to do with his race alone. It was about him as a person. He was able to see that although, he was of a different background or culture, and he ultimately liked and did the same thing as others. In the end he was able to fulfill the assignment; he provided a reflection of himself.
In the movie, Fools Rush In, directed by Andy Tennant, emphasis was placed on how love can be difficult for people of different cultures. In the movie, the director chose two different characters that came from different backgrounds, culture and different ethnic views. Isabel Fuentes, is one of the main characters - a Mexican photographer. Also, there is Alex Whitman, the second main character - a young white American construction supervisor. Alex and Isabel may have come from two different cultures but their love for each other was the same. They were complete opposite in their religions, cultures and lifestyles and these things caused the relationship to have many problems. In the end, they realized love is love no matter what culture you're from or what you're values may be. The question, “What if finding the love of your life meant changing the life that you loved?” was asked and answered by Alex and Isabel as they endured out of love and nothing in their life before was greater than that.
When all's said and done these readings have caused me to assess many of the assumptions I've had about different cultures. I was able to appreciate the perspective offered in each piece due to my new found understanding of the cultural practices or way of life. Both culture and identity play a major role in our everyday lives and as a society we should be more open-minded toward the cultural and racial differences. 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/her own way. Lastly, but not least, one should remember to never judge a book by its cover.
