Focus on how a text option for MP2 reflects and / or shapes the culture/s depicted. Consider how your own cultural background shapes your reading of that text and your approach to and understanding of the culture/s in the text.
The text I choose to look at was the first short story “Tikkun” for the book “The best place on earth” When I read the story, I almost felt thankful that I was able to grow up in the place that I did. The book made the culture and area seem like a place you wouldn’t want to grow up. The book even mentioned how didn’t want to have a child and bring them into where they lived becuase of how bad it was. Which is a huge red flag and shows just how bad it was. It really made it seem like a culture in which I would not want to be apart of either. Like the way Natalie dresses, I wouldn’t want to be apart of the religion that they were in. In my culture, you don’t have to dress that way and you don’t really have to be scared to bring a child into this place. It was very eye-opening.
I liked how the story was very simple. The story in general was very easy to understand, I didn’t feel like I didn’t know what was happening or the things they talked about. I had an understanding of what things where. Like when they talked about how covered Natalie was because of her religion. I understood their religion and what it was becuase of the people that are in my own culture. The story made their culture easily relatable, minus the part about shootings that happened in thee stories. The book talked about things that happen in my culture like people drinking, during drugs and having abortions. You could also tell how Lori really wanted Natalie back and how much he missed her which is something you see a lot in my culture when people break up. Having something to relate somewhat to my culture made the story easier to understand and to feel the way that they were feeling. This made it enjoyable not feeling lost and confused like in some of the other books we’ve read in this class.
Annie's Site 