Lima Sarah

English 115

Jennifer J. Rodrick

November 17, 2017

Culture Linked to Perception

American society shapes the individual whether they like it or not; if the majority think

that a certain race or ethnicity is a certain way, that is how a person will be categorized while in

this environment. Our society allows the growth of false stereotypes that later cause people who

fit the description problems of judgment, stress, and anxiety as expressed in the video their daily

lives are affected by the thoughts and actions of others. In the story Naked Chinese people by

Diane Lefer, the author serves as the main character demonstrating through her personal

experiences and self-analysis, how identity and race effect how people are viewed in society and

dictate how they will be treated and or thought of based on stereotypical bias.

In the very beginning of the story the author recalls a memory that she has as a child,

When I was a child, riding the subway, whenever I saw a Chinese person, I used my index

fingers at the corners of my eyes to pull the skin aslant (Lefer, 102) this portrays how children

young children in society learn early on learn mannerisms regarding other races. Lefer as child

must have learned from somewhere either elder or a friend that slanting your eyes signified

Chinese people or people from another Asian ethnicity. To the people on the bus Lefers act was

something discriminatory but to herself because of the environment she had grown up in she did

not realize the act could be viewed as rude and or racist. Her society and or culture dictated how

she acted and thought of those around her. Moreover, in the article, Asians taking Aussie jobs?
No, it's labour exploitation by The Age, The camera zoomed in on a strawberry farm in

Queensland where "Aussies are overlooked in favor of Asians" and "Australian strawberries are

only picked by Asian hands". This quote shows how races effects how people are treated, or in

this case given a job. Asian culture is associated with being efficient smart hard-working

individuals; this stereotype or truth dictated why the strawberry farm in Queensland chose to

pick Asian workers over their own native people because in their eyes they thought the Asian

worker based off a racial bias would be a better fit. Likewise, when Lefer recollects how she was

raped by a priest she mentions that, Neither my mother nor the police seemed to think it strange

that priest would rape a child (Lefer,104) displaying how because priests have an identity that

is associated with child abuse, even though a horrendous act was done to a child it was thought

of as normal because the stereotypes that are put on priests.

Furthermore, when Lefer talks about her marriage to a white man she says, white

woman/whiteman. I imagine that thats what the black cop saw. I felt defined, confined

(Lefer, 104) revealing how she was judged because of the American stereotype where white

people only marry other white people and goes on to comment, but thats not me (Lefer, 104)

because through the cops eyes she was like the majority but in her heart she knew that the way

society now viewed her was wrong because she had originally chose to be outside of the majority

when she married her black husband Skee. In addition, when Lefer says, I may be a white girl,

but my life hasnt been without pain (Lefer,104) here she gives more insight into how society

has affected her mentality as a person because in American culture many believe that people of

white skin are privileged and have not suffered much because of this. Lefer, as a person did not

want to be put into put into that racial stereotype, so she felt the need to state that yes she may be

white but according to her that doesnt mean that she hasnt live a hard life; again showing how
stereotypes in relation to race dictate how others will be viewed by certain individual unless

stated otherwise as Lefer did in her story.

Moreover, as Lefer explains the circumstance of Skees death, a deeper insight into how

racial stereotypes can affect a persons life is conveyed. For instance, He was at someone elses

trailer. A black man trying to get in. where are you? I said. Youre lost. Dont do anything.

Where are you? (Lefer, 109) this shows the racial stereotype where people think all black men

are dangerous and are up to no good, displaying why Lefer was so worried because she knew

that as black man trying to get into a strangers house would seem suspicious and cause some

problems. Which in turn it did because the people saw a black man they immediately saw Skee

as threat and without even stopping to check if he was a threat he kills an innocent man, showing

that the way society views individuals can even effect whether they live, or die in theses kinds of

situations. In the same fashion Lefer goes on to face a similar situation where race ultimately

decides whether she lives or dies, Racist Pig! I said. If I were a black man, you would kill

me. If I were a Latino male, youd cuff me and shoot me in the head....Reverse

Discrimination!.. Just because Im a white woman...Its skin privellege, dammit (Lefer, 112).

Here she demonstrates the extent race truly has on who others perceive and think about certain

ethnicity, explaining why people to react the way they do when in questionable danger. In the

authors case she was yelling and getting aggressive with a police officer which would have lead

any colored individual to either be arrested or even possibly killed but because she is white, and

the cop chose not arrest her because he didnt based off the color of her skin view her as a threat.

Lefer contemplates this truth, When Skee acted crazy, that was normal for a black man. When I

acted crazy, it was decided that what I needed was Richards care and the latest meds (Lefer,

112) displaying that race is essential in how we as people interact in society because as in Lefers
situation a negative connotation given to a particular race is what determines whether the person

would live or die. Similarly, in the movie Loving by Jeff Nicholas a couples way of life is

determined by the color of there skin. The couple lived in a time where interracial marriages

were still not allowed in Virginia because the state viewed it as an abomination toward God. Out

of love they decide to get married outside of the state but once they return, they are treated as

law-breakers and people judge them and ridicule them for having gone against Gods natural

design. One law, about race determined how others now viewed them, where they were able to

live, and now how others treated them as individuals.

Others may say that Lefer did not intended to convey a message about race but all

throughout her story she made and emphasis on how race and identity affected people as

individuals showing how important the topic was to her. So much she felt the need to explain

through her personal life story the reason why to her racism still does exist in our society today.

The way we think about other races effects individuals and dictates how they live there lives

whether being judged or by being the judger. As a country if we strive for change now and

change our mentality on how we view other we could have a positive impact on our generations

to come and create a place that is free of judgment and false stereotypes.
 Works Cited

David L. Ulin. Another City: Writing From Los Angeles. City Lights San Francisco. 2001

Melbourne, Australia. Asians taking Aussie jobs? No, it's labour exploitation. The Age,

Opposing Viewpoints in Context, 2010. Galegroup. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.

Nicholas, Jeff, director. Loving. Big Beach, 2016. Accessed 23. Nov. 2017.

Stereotype Threat Youtube, uploaded by Daniele Levy, 31 January 2012,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2bAlUKtvMk. Accessed 22 Nov. 2017.