Multimedia Analysis
By Yasmin Rosas
ENGL012S
Professor: Timothy Petete
Introduction
Through the reading of the short stories, a dissection of human struggles with complex characters, cultural challenges, and existential dilemmas sheds light on the intricacies of the human condition. Whether it be a personal struggle in coming into one's identity, moral ambiguity in negotiating with other cultures, or a battle for survival against overwhelming outside forces, each short story presents a mirror through which readers can examine their struggles and the anxieties of their society.
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Across diverse narratives, recurring themes reflect the dynamic interplay between individual agency, cultural forces, and the instinctual drive for survival. Unit One analysis by authors such as Hisaye Yamamoto, Flannery O'Connor, Philip Roth, and Leslie Marmon Silko examines individuals' challenges as they navigate personal identity in conflict with social pressures and cultural expectations. Unit Two analyzes the works of Percival Everett and Daniel H. Wilson, deepening the exploration by probing the ethical and existential consequences of cultural exchange and appropriation. Finally, in Unit Three, featuring Sandra Cisneros's "Woman Hollering Creek" and Manuel Gonzales's "Escape from the Mall," the theme of survival in the face of external catastrophes unfolds while focusing on the complexities of identity.
Although these units have different themes, they come together to illuminate a more cohesive story about the universal human search for identity, the complications of cultural interaction, and an inborn survival instinct. Though each unit explores different aspects of the human experience, whether individual struggles, cultural exchange, or survival, these stories ultimately share a profound connection. They highlight the ongoing quest for personal and cultural identity, the consequences of cultural appropriation, and the instinctual drive to survive. Together, they offer a rich and nuanced view of how we define ourselves and navigate the world's complexities.
Unit One Analysis
The central theme in Unit One is the struggle by an individual to maintain a sense of identity in the face of cultural conflict and societal expectations. In Hisaye Yamamoto's "Seventeen Syllables," the protagonist, a young Japanese-American girl, must express herself through writing against her mother's devotion to traditional cultural expectations. In the protagonist's mind, this presents an internal conflict that mirrors a more excellent immigrant experience, balancing personal goals against family and community expectations. Yamamoto articulately shows how cultural heritage could be a burden and how adopting and understanding this heritage could lead to much deeper self-realization. The quote, "I could see the beauty in her words, but they felt like chains around my heart" (Yamamoto 2), is a metaphor for the dual nature of cultural pride with its deprivation of personal freedom.
Similarly, in Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People," the character of Hulga represents a different kind of identity struggle. The intellectually superior and rationalist Hulga tends to disassociate herself from conventional values and the people surrounding her. However, during this vulnerable period when a Bible salesperson deceives her, her intellectual pride has been brought down. A quote that Hulga comments declares, “You can’t trust a man who carries a Bible, (pg8)” highlights the tension between appearance judgment and reality. O'Connor critiques intellectualism and religious faith by showing how each can be used as a mask to protect against more profound existential vulnerabilities. Hulga’s eventual realization of her fragility shows that identity is shaped not only by intellectual or cultural labels but also by emotional truths that emerge when we break down our defenses.
In “Defender of the Faith” by Philip Roth, Jewish identity in post-World War II America becomes the battleground for ethical and personal dilemmas. Poor Nathan struggles to balance his responsibilities as a chaplain against the demands put on him by other Jewish soldiers demanding unique treatmentIn a quote Nathan says, “You cannot escape your background, (Roth 9)” he reflects by acknowledging the weight of cultural identity and the expectations that the public puts under pressure. Roth elaborates on this conflict, even while cultural identity is a source of strength and a burden. What Nathan is struggling with bears much deeper connections with a more general world one: the tension between private integrity and communal loyalty. His inner struggle uncovers that identity is a matter of moral choice and ethical responsibility, not cultural belonging.
In Leslie Marmon Silko's "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," the struggle for identity is framed within the context of Native American spirituality. When a beloved community member dies, his family must make the difficult choice between traditional indigenous burial rites and the expectations of the local Catholic priest. The following quote, “ They did not understand the importance of the ceremony, (p2)” illustrates the conflict between the cultural clash of indigenous beliefs and the external expectations of the local priest—this statement's significance of honoring one’s artistic practices in the face of intrusion modernization. Silko uses this tension to highlight the struggle between cultural preservation and external pressures, showing how tradition remains vital to one's personal and communal identity even when modernizing forces are at work. The negotiation by the family of these competing pressures reflects the broader struggle to maintain cultural integrity in a world that continually challenges it.
Unit Two Analysis
Moving on to Unit Two, the stories in this unit expand the conversation about identity to include cultural appropriation and the ethical dilemmas inherent in engaging with other cultures. In Percival Everett's "The Appropriation of Cultures," Daniel's purchase of a truck with a Confederate flag on it is a perfect example of how cultural appropriation can be problematic. To this end, the short story narrates that the protagonist says, "I've decided that the rebel flag is my flag. My blood is southern blood, right? Well, it's my flag." (Everett 5) When the character claims the flag as his, he tries to revoke the tradition of the rebel flag with racism, oppression, and political ideology. By claiming the flag as his symbol of rebellion, without knowing the deep roots of racism and oppression in it, Daniel reveals the limits of individualism and the perils of cultural symbol misappropriation. Everett critiques the commodification of artistic elements and the ignorance and arrogance accompanying such an act. These would spark a problem with social values, placing obligations concerning cultural appropriation. Daniel reveals the moral aftermath of appropriating a cultural symbol for personal benefit without realizing the historical and social weight that may come with respecting a culture.
Likewise, the question of identity, linked with technology and artificial intelligence, was an element in the discussion within Daniel H. Wilson's "Tip of the Spear." In a post-apocalyptic setting where technologies closely imitate human cravings and make distinguishing between genuine and synthetic emotions almost impossible, the invention talks with the creator, saying, "This is true. We humans are frail. Our lives are fleeting.". However, why is it sad?" the maker asks, and the response: "Because you are designed to want something that will hurt you." (Wilson 2) The dialogue of both provides a talk exchange and an exploration of the nature of human beings, desire, and the cultural relationship between vulnerability and existential longing. The suggestion that humans are "designed" to want may reflect how technology attempts to replicate or understand human emotions. By pointing out the frailty of human life and the sadness that naturally accompanies it, Wilson invites the readers to reflect on the peculiar relation between desire and suffering- a catalyst toward personal growth: to a thoughtful facing of desires rather than a mindless pursuit, perhaps toward self-awareness and emotional resilience It raises questions about the authenticity of the human experience in a technological world that is becoming even more prominent. Wilson critiques how technology distorts human emotions, much like cultural appropriation distorts commodities and the rich meanings embedded within artistic practices.
Everett and Wilson critique the ease with which cultural symbols and human emotions can be manipulated. They challenge readers to think more deeply about the ethical dimensions of cultural exchange and individuals' responsibility when interacting with others' histories and cultures.
Unit Three Analysis
Finally, in Unit Three, survival becomes the primary lens through which identity and culture are explored. In Sandra Cisneros's "Woman Hollering Creek," the protagonist, Cleófilas, faces a personal crisis when she discovers that her life does not match the romanticized ideals of love and marriage she once imagined. The story addresses the interplay between cultural expectations and personal disillusionment as Cleófilas navigates her role as a wife in an abusive marriage. In the short story, "Cleofilas thought her life would have to be like that, like a telenovela, only now the episodes got sadder and sadder. And there were no commercials in between for comic relief." (Cisneros 5) Her eventual escape from this toxic relationship and the realization of her strength mark a profound evolution in her identity. This further examines how personal survival, particularly in oppressive circumstances, is connected with the reevaluation of one's self-concept and denial of social roles that impede freedom.
In Manuel Gonzales’s “Escape from the Mall,” the theme of survival takes on a more literal form as characters fight to survive a zombie apocalypse within the confines of a shopping mall. However, like Cleófilas in “Woman Hollering Creek,” the survivors in Gonzales's story face internal struggles as they confront their fears, desires, and impulses in a chaotic, life-threatening environment. The following quote: “And then I’m running exhilarated by what I have just done, by what this might mean for me-not just escape from the mall, but a kind of escape from life, my old life, from that tired old existence.” (Gonzales 13) The reference to "escape from life, my old life" suggests that the character views this escape not simply as a physical act but as a means of shedding an old, monotonous existence. This is not just a flight from danger but a symbolic rebirth- a chance to redefine their identity outside of the life they once knew. The repetition of "escape" shows the character's yearning for transformation, thus suggesting that his life before the apocalypse was stasis, routine, and dissatisfaction. The story continually bounces between the brutal reality of the fight to live and the dark existential that reminds its reader that survival, in any shape, is physical and a matter of the mind. The mall, a symbol of consumerism and social conformity, becomes a microcosm for the struggle to maintain one's identity when everything external collapses. Just as the characters in “Escape from the Mall” must fight for their lives against an external threat, the characters in Cisneros's story must fight for their freedom from oppressive social roles.
Conclusion
Ultimately, these stories from Unit One, Unit Two, and Unit Three create a complex look into identity, culture, and survival, each revealing the universal human struggle to define oneself in a world full of external pressures and complexities. Despite the distinct themes in each unit—internal conflict and cultural expectations in Unit One, the ethical dilemmas of cultural appropriation in Unit Two, and survival and identity transformation in Unit Three—all three units are united by the exploration of how individuals navigate and respond to forces that challenge their sense of self.
Throughout Unit One, the characters' battles for cultural identity, including haggling with family expectations, societal roles, and personal desires, contrast precisely between self-expression and the dictates of culture and society. Characters are always caught in a negotiation that illustrates that identity is an evolving process shaped by personal aspirations and external influences.
Unit Two builds on this by exploring how cultural identity can be commodified, appropriated, or misunderstood. Through stories like Percival Everett’s The Appropriation of Cultures and Daniel H. Wilson’s Tip of the Spear, readers are forced to confront the complexities of cultural exchange, identity theft, and the ethics of recontextualizing cultural symbols.
Finally, Unit Three focuses on physical and emotional survival in extreme circumstances. Sandra Cisneros’s Woman Hollering Creek and Manuel Gonzales’s Escape from the Mall expand on self-definition themes. Still, the stakes are higher: characters must not only navigate social and cultural pressures but also survive life-threatening events that demand rapid adaptation and transformation. The crises they face-whether escaping abuse or surviving a zombie apocalypse-force them to rethink their sense of identity and reimagine their lives in response to the harsh realities surrounding them.
Despite the differences in themes—personal identity struggles, cultural appropriation, and survival—the stories in these three units ultimately emphasize that identity is never static or predetermined. Their journeys show the complexity of human life, which is why authenticity would encompass embracing one's identity and battling against external forces that would use it as a mold. The short stories reflect on the human condition, urging the reader to consider how we navigate the pressures of culture, society, and survival and, in so doing, how we shape and reshape our self-understanding.