Van Ausdall 1

Scott Van Ausdall

Professor Sue Briggs
English 1050-400

A Discussion of Similarities on Differences Across Varying Cultures

For as long as history and our imagination can take us, humanity has been at odds against
itself. Whether by physical prowess, cognitive capabilities, gender discrimination, wage gap,
duty assignment by gender, experience, or age. The color of our skin and the difference
compared to those not like us affect us more than the bridging of equality of those physically
capable and those handicapped by physical or mental disabilities. While it would be just to say
that America has its problems compounded due to the melting pot of our country, it is not the
only country in the world dealing with issues like these. Russia persecutes homosexuals to the
brink of jail and public beatings and mutilations. South Africa is reeling in apartheid still, much
like the Jim Crow laws of the south in America between enacted between 1877-1954. With so
much discourse and fighting between members of any given nation, is there a common link of
inequality within intermixed cultures?
When George Orwell finds himself in a situation comparable to being a soldier behind
semi-enemy lines, we read that due to his nationality, skin color, and uniform, he is a person with
a target on his back (504). With British rule not appreciated and most definitely not wanted,
Orwell was constantly pushing a boulder uphill with inequality; even if he were to gain ground
or just enough time to rest, he was at odds against the next struggle in line. The only time Orwell
is tolerated in his writings is when he is needed to potentially stop an elephant from being
prolonged threat to the villages around Moulmein, Burma. In a way, no matter what Orwell did,

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he was stuck in a situation of damned if you, damned if you dont. He would always be seen as
the white man with a gun, an outsider making the decision for a nation not of his belonging. No
matter that he probably saved the lives of several more Burmese and no matter that he upset a
few Burmese for destroying the property of them. As Ashley Watkins writes The colonized
perspective of the British Empire was more of a conquering mentality rather than one of
togetherness. (Ashley Watkins, week 13 assignment) This is an excellent statement as it
expresses even had his skin color been the same as the Burmese, his invading national mentality
may not be welcomed. No matter he wore a uniform to help enact safety among the population,
he would be seen as responsible for the dead by some and responsible for being a meddling
outsider to most.
When discussing foreign meddlers, its quite possible for Christopher Columbus to place
near the top of a list like that. In the short story of Columbus in Chains, Annie John describes to
us what its like for her to go through school during a time of youth and social and academic
oppression. As Annie John progresses in her story, she explains that because she is the smartest
student and not the favored; this places her at odds with one of her teachers, Miss Edward. It
isnt explained whether Miss Edward is an islander like Annie John but in a way, the reader
either can or wants to believe she is not due to her reaction of Annies defacement of a
Christopher Columbus picture. Even though Annie doesnt say why, she has a strong dislike for
Columbus. Upon further research, the reason behind this is the subjugation and theft of the
islanders and its resources due to Columbus discoveries and reports made back to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (McGraw-Hill). Columbus made mention that the nice tribes he
discovered would be easy to enslave. One cant help but empathize with Annie since she was

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keen to a more history of her heritage. What one-person sees as a hero in one reading or viewing,
another sees as a villain or an antihero.
As in the case and discussion presented by John Jennings and Damian Duffy, sometimes
they saw both hero and villain and sometimes not at all in the form of comic books. With neither
experiencing the same sense of pleasure and entertainment value as Caucasians, it was hard for
both to associate or view themselves as heros and as such, they did not feel as equal or as
normal as the white kids. More importantly, they felt misrepresented and demeaned when black
heroes and villains were drawn and characterized (while also being represented in movies and
television). Once Blaxploitation once born with the likes of Sweet Sweetbacks Badass Song and
Shaft, history was once again solidified with another representation of black culture. Even
though Shaft and following Blaxploitation movies were a hit at first, Jennings and Duffy make
the statement those incarnations of the Black Superhero were nonetheless flat, depicting in no
way the depth of the Black experience in America (377). It would be hard for any culture, for
years on end, to read and see material gregariously and falsely misrepresenting them, wondering
if the world really sees them as this. One could argue that all children growing up would be most
impacted by reading these comics and thinking this was how black people acted and talked. Art
and speech and the mix of the two can prove to be powerful tools to pass along propaganda and
vital/important information, like in the case of Willie Jordan.
New language alone can be something scary to those hearing it for the first time. If you
are listening to two people have a conversation near you in French, you may think to yourself
are they talking about me? I bet theyre talking about me. Sometimes, people may think the
worst when hearing a language. With Black English, most people probably thought one or two or
both major thoughts: the people talking like this are uneducated or are they saying something

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bad about me? Willie Jordan, a young black man, learning Black English when part way
through his semester, his brother Reggie Jordan, had been killed by police. His teacher, June
Jordan, asked Willie to write a letter to the police, culminating the language of Black English,
demonstrating his voice and the voice of his culture as a way for the police to see underlying
issues at hand (166). Black or white, members of the police force may not tolerate nor appreciate
the letter that Willie Jordan wrote. Once you belong to one group or organization, its difficult to
gain empathy for another that isnt like you. Its hard to express ones own sense of racial
inequality to a group that doesnt understand or doesnt want to understand. Hatred for one group
may lead to a subjugation or imprisonment of another.
Angel Island currently resides as a museum and tourist attraction of sorts now. It
showcases Army accomplishments in some areas and showcases acts of racial injustice of the
Chinese between 1910-1940. Between Angel Island and Ellis Island, the east coasts largest
immigration port, readings of audacity and inequality are in greater quantity and quality towards
the Chinese. For years, Angel Island would hold individuals based on their nationality and
overview negative views of their culture and work ethic. Ellis Island on the other hand
experienced less wait times and less cruelty overall. While some immigrants were not treated as
fairly as others at Ellis Island, out of sixteen million people that passed through customs,
approximately less than .0156% were turned away (433). For most people at Ellis Island,
acceptance or rejection could last hours, days or weeks unlike the Chinese, which could take
years. The greatest and most notable distinction between the two is the majority of color between
the two islands: dark skin vs. light colored skin. One could argue that since the majority of
Americans descended from the European nations, greater chance of obtaining citizenship would
come from Ellis Island instead of Angel Island. An interesting correlation between the east/west

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coast immigration period and that of the immigration of Mexicans is that Mexicans are being
told, in one way, they are not appreciated. Whereas the Chinese expressed their distaste of their
treatment in the forms of poems, some Americans used signs to express their distaste of
Mexicans.
In Passport Photos by Amitava Kumar, Kumar takes a photo of a sign posted on the
Mexican border side depicting a family of a man, woman, and child running with the word
Caution, in English, above and Prohibido, in Spanish, below (515). Kumar reasons, by means of
an imaginary conversation with a border patrol officer, the sign to be racist in at least one way:
Mexicans are not wanted. He states that the words are not the same as they are not; one word
means to watch out for due to danger of hitting people and the other word means to dissuade
Mexicans to coming to the States. While using an imagined conversation of ones self, between
ones self, as well as the imagined experience of a profession never had, the logos and ethos is
lost but not the pathos. Kumars point is to give a general feel of animosity against illegals and
the nation of Mexico as a whole. Their culture can be appreciated but only if you have the
money. The language of Mexicans is not appreciated unless you hold a powerful status or rank in
American society. Unlike the immigrants of Ellis and Angel Island, Mexicans are told in their
country by visuals and language they are not wanted. Some could say its better they know
upfront instead of wasting their time unlike the inhabitants of Ellis and Angel Island rotting away
for great lengths of time before traveling. Still, another side could argue that no matter what,
prejudice and racial inequality is expressed.
While looking back on all these assignments, I couldnt help but think of when or, most
likely, if we will ever reach the point of getting past ourselves as people divided and see
ourselves as differences alike, much like the colors of the visible light spectrum. It made me

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think of Alan Moores graphic novel The Watchmen in that the only way of working and coming
together is to have one foreign enemy, so unlike us that any difference can be put aside for one
common goal. Alas, even that possibility has a finite outcome: once our common enemy has
been vanquished, its a matter of time before we combat ourselves again. Our readings show us
that inequality is always here among us and no matter what, its used as a weapon.
Of all these examples provided, many kinds of human and civil injustices are thought or
acted on against another group. Either by art, symbols, language, heritage, skin color, etc., people
will always find these differences as ongoing issues to create barriers. Its not apparent but there
isnt a single person in this world that belongs to only one group or classification. Every one
person is blended between at least two or three or four. Why people choose sides could be based
on personal gain or loyalty and by doing so, they automatically create a network of inequality.
Whether its wanted or not, its there. As our histories and studies have shown, there will always
be a person or group to see another person or group as inferior, less than, or unequal because of
any form of difference. The common link between all stories is the representation of difference
itself.

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Works Cited
Gordon, Mary. More Than Just a Shrine: Paying Homage to the Ghosts of Ellis Island. 430435.
John Jennings and Damian Duffy. Finding Other Heroes. 375-379.
Jordan, June. Nobody Mean More to Me Than You and the Future Life of Willie Jordan. 157167.
Kincaid, Jamaica Columbus in Chains. 498-503.
Kumar, Amitava Passport Photos 514-518.
"Native Peoplesthe Indians." Glencoe.com. McGraw-Hill Education, n.d. Web. 23 Apr.
2016.
Orwell, George Shooting an Elephant. 503-508.