Huckleberry Finn Should Not Be Banned - 1404 Words

Why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Should Not Be Banned â€Å"Banning books gives us silence when we need speech. It closes our ears when we need to listen. It makes us blind when we need sight,† Stephen Chbosky. Books open up people’s minds to new ideas and allow people to the world in a new light. Banning books only makes one want to read those books more- to learn and poder over the controversial issues. One controversially banned novel is the The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This book while still has lessons to teach people in today’s society, including the ignorance of racism to addressing modern day issues; therefore The Adventures of Huckleberry FInn should not be banned. In today’s society religion and race are still prominent†¦show more content†¦Students should not only be immersed into the topic of slavery, but also taught how to properly address racial slurs, especially due to the prevalence of them in today’s culture. The word ‘nigger’ is used often in today’s culture and before reading the book students have already heard the word regardless of its negative connotation. About the use of the word in society, Pitts remarked, â€Å"Kids use it...artists use it, the black rap artists use it, as you know, as I well know. Brothers use it all the time..when they talk to each other,† (qtd. in â€Å"Huckleberry†). Even if the book is banned due to racial slurs, students will still experience the racial slurs outside of the classroom. While shielding students from the racial slurs may seem like it is beneficial, it is actually hurting students because if the issue is not dealt with and discussed in the classroom than they lack that learning in the real world. Students need a safe learning environment, especially for difficult issues. The novel not only helps teach valuable lessons, the novel educates youth about slavery and prejudice. If the novel is taken away, the youth’s education is degrading and furthermore society as a whole. When a topic is controversial that does not mean the novel should be banned solely because it may raise questions and leads to intellectual discussions; rather that topic should be shared to educate everyone to think deeper and to question society. Discomfort and controversy lead to a greaterShow MoreRelatedHuckleberry Finn Should Be Banned Essay1603 Words   |  7 Pagesproblems with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shortly after being published. Huckleberry Finn was first published in January of 1885 and only two months later in March of 1885 the book was banned. The problem first with the book was it was too friendly toward African Americans and believed to lead children astray from certain values. Now over 100 years later â€Å"Huckleberry Finn is still making news† (Pitts). Now in the 21th century we have a problem with Huckleberry Finn not because of kindness to AfricanRead MoreShould The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Be Banned?1984 Words   |  8 PagesShould The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be banned? Since the early ages of literature, there have been works of literature that have been considered controversial because of the content, as some believe they are offensive or inappropriate. Works such as Martin Luther s 95 Theses and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger are just two works of literature that have sparked major controversy. One of the most controversial works of American literature is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn writtenRead MoreEssay on Why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Should Not Be Banned695 Words   |  3 Pages The decision to ban the novel Huckleberry Finn from classrooms and libraries has been an ongoing controversy. The presence of the n word and the treatment towards Jim, and other blacks in general, has made many readers uncomfortable. Despite this fact, Huckleberry Finn has been and remains a classic read. I do not believe the novel should be banned or sanitized because it is a part of American history whether it is good or bad, also we have no right to change someones writing simply because weRead MoreEssay about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Should NOT Be Banned2973 Words   |  12 Pages Many books around the world have been banned because they are offensive. One example is Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel about the journey of a thirteen-year-old boy named Huck, who fabricates his own death to run away with an escaped slave named Jim. The two voyage in a raft along the Mississippi River to gain their individual freedom. In addition, Huck gains a new understanding about humanity. Huck Finn has been creating great controversy on both sides of the argument:Read MoreThe Banning of Texts Such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay1047 Words   |  5 Pagesare banned or challenged due to the fact that these figures do not approve of their content. One of the most common things banned and or challenged is that of written text. One such text is, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It has been banned in Concord, Massachusetts on the basis of â€Å"it being more suited to the slums than to intelligent respectable people† (Banned 1) and the overall vulgarity of the text. Because of vulgarity and seemingly unintelligent writing, The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain Essay1055 Words   |  5 PagesJhonatan Zambrano Mrs. Patmor AP Lit-Period 5 28 September 2016 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1835 Mark Twain embodies realism in almost every aspect of his writing not excluding The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which in he portrays such a lifelike setting that it almost gives you this sense of reality through the point of view of a young man that has an urge for freedom yet struggles to conform to society s norms due to his adolescence. Twain s ability to unmask the true identities of theRead MoreBanning The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain in Schools1030 Words   |  5 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain might seem like a good book to have high school students read since it’s about a boy named Huckleberry Finn and his adventures through his life by dealing with the struggles that he has or when he finds a runaway slave, named Jim, who is on an island trying to stay hidden so he will not be sold as a slave. Throughout the novel the reader will see that Huck has an adventurous personality, comes to find out who is father is and tries to helpRead MoreBanned From School Curriculum By Robert Hirst1285 Words   |  6 PagesIf Huckleberry Finn is altered or banned from school curriculum, questions will surely be raised about censorship and whether or not it has become too extreme. Questions will also be raised as to why a word that is so often used in daily conversations could possibly get a work of literature banned. Robert Hirst, writer of â€Å"Huck Finn, Navigating Choppy Waters Again† touches on the subject of banning the book over its language. In his article, he touches on the fact that banning the book would leadRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1542 Words   |  7 Pages Over the last 130 years â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† has been called everything from a piece of trash to a national treasure. Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Clemens wrote â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.† Only one month after it was published, librarians in Concord, Massachusetts had it banned. â€Å"He has had his problems with librarians from the start when, in 1885, â€Å"those moral-ice-bergs,† the Library Committee of Concord−symbolic seat of freedom−pronounced the book rough, coarseRead MoreHuckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagesmatter- ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.†(Mark Twain). Mark Twain, the author of an extraordinary yet controversial novel; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn had a great way of capturing moments in time and bringing them to life through the use of meaningful and direct diction. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been a vexed novel for it s a use of the â€Å"N-word†. However, many scholars and associations have devised a â€Å"solution† for this problem su ch as, completely banning

Does Social Inequality Exist in Jamaica Free Essays

Introduction â€Å"Social Inequality allows for the exclusion of individuals and the formation of prejudices and discrimination. Carefully analyze and discuss the validity of this statement based on current events in the Jamaican society. † Social Inequality is the existence of socially created inequalities; it occurs when ideology and power combine to make one group of people feel inferior to another. We will write a custom essay sample on Does Social Inequality Exist in Jamaica or any similar topic only for you Order Now From a sociological perspective people are able to assess both opportunities and constraints that characterize their lives as it relates to age, sex, gender, race and class and based on this, many ills that the world faces today are derived from some person’s blatant disregard for differences. A prejudice is a preconceived belief toward a particular group while discrimination is a behavior (an action), with reference to unequal treatment of people because they are members of a particular group. Some theories suggest that racism is a characteristic of an abnormal minority of the population and that this abnormality is psychological. This prejudice may lead to racial discrimination. We may be familiar with this form of discrimination being more prevalent in recent times (Apartheid, Hitler vs. Jews) than now. In answering the question this report will outline the causes of social inequality and show that Social Inequality is prevalent in all societies including Jamaica. Race Ethnicity Within sociology, the term ethnic, race, minority, and dominant group have very specific meanings, different from the meanings the terms have in common, their usage. These concepts are important in the development of a sociological perspective on race and ethnicity. Race A race is a group of people treated as separate in society on the basis of certain characteristics, some of which may be biological, that have been assigned social importance. Because of presumed biologically or culturally inferior characteristics, a race is typically singled out for its uniqueness and unfortunately succumbs to unfair treatment. Therefore it is not biological characteristics per se that defines racial groups, but how groups ave been treated historically and socially over the years. Societies assign people racial categories such as Black, White, and so on. Not by science, logic or fact, but by opinion and social experiences. In other words, how racial groups are defined is a social process. This is what is meant when we acknowledge that race is â€Å"socially constructed†. The use of biological differences to judge an individual seems some what arbitrary. F or example we differentiate people based on skin color and not other characteristics such as personality traits or culture. Jamaica is made up of several races, but the majority is dark skinned. Most people interact with their own kind and do not get the opportunity to interface with others of a different race. However, for the ones who do, they may say that we are not a racist society but would more likely discriminate based on a persons’ socio-economic status. This may be true but there remains the irony that individuals with high socio-economic statuses are usually the light skinned (Caucasian, Indian, Chinese). Ethnicity This refers to a social category of people who share a common culture, for example a common language or dialect; a common religion; and common norms, practices, customs and history. Ethnic groups have a consciousness of their common cultural bond. Jamaicans, Americans, Trinidadians, Japanese, Mexican Americans and so forth, are examples of ethnic groups. However ethnic groups are also found in other societies, such as Pashtuns in Afghanistan or Shiites and Sunnie in Iraq whose ethnicity is based on religious differences. An ethnic group does not exist simply because of the common national or cultural origins of the group. These groups develop because of their unique historical, cultural origins or social experiences. These experiences become the basis of the group’s ethnic identity. PREJUDICE A prejudice is a preconceived belief, opinion, or judgment toward a group of people or a single person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, political beliefs , religion, line of work or other personal characteristics. It also means a priori beliefs (without knowledge of the facts) and includes â€Å"any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence. Although positive and negative prejudice both exist, when used negatively, â€Å"prejudice† implies fear and antipathy toward such a group or person. †¢Cognitive Prejudice refers to what people believe to be true: for example, in adherence to a particular metaphysical or methodological philosophy at the expense of other philosophies which may offer a more complete theoretic al explanation. †¢Affective Prejudice refers to what people like and dislike: for example, in attitudes toward members of particular classes such as race, ethnicity, national origin, or creed. Conative Prejudice refers to how people are inclined to behave. It is regarded as an attitude because people do not act on their feelings. An example of conative prejudice may be found in expressions of what should be done if the opportunity presents itself. These three types of prejudice are correlated, but all need not be present in a particular individual. Someone may believe that a particular group possesses low levels of intelligence, but harbor no ill feeling towards that group. A group may be disliked because of intense competition for jobs, but still recognize no differences between groups. DISCRIMINATION Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group that is taken in consideration based on class or category. The United Nations explains: â€Å"Discriminatory behaviors take many forms, but they all involve some form of exclusion or rejection. Discriminatory laws such as redlining have existed in many countries. In some countries, controversial attempts such as racial quotas have been used to redress negative effects of discrimination Farley also put discrimination into three categories: Personal / Individual Discrimination is directed toward a specific individual and refers to any act that leads to unequal treatment because of the individual’s real or perceived group membership. †¢Legal Discrimination refers to â€Å"unequal treatment, on the grounds of group membership, that is upheld by law. Apartheid is an example of legal discrimination, as are also various post-Civil war laws in the southern United States that legally disadvantaged Negros with respect to property rights, employment rights and he exercise of constitutional rights. †¢Institutional Discrimination refers to unequal treatment that is entrenched in basic social institutions resulting in advantaging one group over another. The Indian caste system and European feudal system are historical examples of institutional discrimination. As with prejudice generally, these three types of discrimination are correlated and may be found to varying degrees in individuals and society at large. Many forms of discrimination based upon prejudice are outwardly acceptable in most societies. What is Gender? Gender is a social classification that divides individuals into one of three categories (masculine, feminine, androgyny) as defined by behaviour, cultural and/or physiological traits learnt and expressed. The Difference between Gender and Sex Sex is a biological classification the divides individuals into categories (Male, Female, Hermaphrodite) as defined by their Chromosome make-up, reproductive organs, external genitals, hormonal states, internal genitals and secondary sex characteristics. Therefore sex is fundamentally different from gender on the basis that sex is determined by sex from birth and gender is determined by socialization after birth. Gender: Functional History The gender roles in society today are as a result of thousands of years of social evolution going back to the beginnings of society. Lets us take a look at how gender evolved into what it is today. The first type of society that existed, hunter/gatherer societies, men and women shared equal roles as the food gatherers in society. Women secured the more stable sources of food such as ground provisions grains and fruits while men secured the less stable sources of food from hunting game. This is due to the fact that hunting is a physically intensive activity and thus more naturally suited for the men in society however both sources of food were important to the welfare of the society and therefore both men and women had comparable roles. However while comparable, these roles would go on to influence society through the ages as the gathering of food tended to be relatively close to the settlement and the hunting of food would be further away. We see therefore that women were socialized to stay close to home and men were socialized to journey away from the home. This comparable role relationship remained similar in pastoral and horticultural societies however a huge shift came when people began to form agrarian societies. Men took the role of primary food gatherers in society freeing women from the task of food gathering. Thus women adopted alternative roles in the home to occupy their time. This however elevated the role of men in society while at the same time decreasing the roles of women. Men became more educated and took on more complex jobs within society. Women became the nurturers and home-makers of society. Thus the sexual division on labour became institutionalized ( Lengerman and Wallace, 1985) In industrial society women were reintegrated in the workplace however they were typically low paying unskilled jobs and their male counterparts were typically paid more for the same work. The role of women in society was slowly increasing at this point. Gender: Functional Analysis of Jamaican Society Traditionally in Jamaican society women are seen to be the home-makers and men the bread winners. This is due to the fact that the two genders play a complimentary role to each other (Talcott Parsons 141, 1964; orig 1951). In other words a complex Co-dependency between each gender that fulfils the economic social companionship, and social placement needs of a family unit thus holding and shaping society and. Each gender is socialized from birth to fulfil their respective roles. Boys are socialized to be competitive and aggressive through sports and aggressive role-models and yard work thereby allowing them to compete and survive in the working world as part of the labour force when they become Men. Girls are socialized to be sensitive and caring through dolls and house chores so that once they become Women they are better able to run the household and rear children. In a family unit these roles compliment each other and act as a stabilizing force for the unit and by extension for society. These stabilizing forces are perpetuated through various schemes of social control. Individuals who fail to show appropriate levels of masculinity or femininity are ridiculed and ostracised by society, this produces guilt and fear of rejection in the individual and serves to reinforce gender classes. Gender: Functional Analysis – Critical Comments The functionalistic view of gender is unable to proper explain many occurrences of modern society. With the post-industrial society we see that women are increasingly taking on more complex roles in society due to the reduction in the amount of physical labour needed to perform complex tasks through industrialization, the ability to control contraception, the feminist movement and poverty level (women in poorer household work out of necessity). Indeed most households now reply on a two person income. This however has left women with the dual roles of home-maker and breadwinners. This is a very daunting task as such many women remain single to avoid such a scenario. Alternatively since women have become a large part of the labour force we see that in couples, men have now either partly or in rare cases fully taken over the tasks of nurturing and caring for a child so as to fill the void created by the absence of the mother Traditionally androgyny was a socially ostracised gender however lately there has been a blurring of the roles separating the genders. We see this in ‘the sensitive new age guy’, ‘the metro sexual’, in women with short hair (short hair was traditionally a masculine feature), in male bleaching and male earrings (both of which were initially feminine traits). Gender Discrimination Though gender discrimination and sexism refers to beliefs and attitudes in relation to the gender of a person, such beliefs and attitudes are of a social nature and do not, normally, carry any legal consequences. Sex discrimination, on the other hand, may have legal consequences. Though what constitutes sex discrimination varies between countries, the essence is that it is an adverse action taken by one person against another person that would not have occurred had the person been of another sex. Discrimination of that nature in certain enumerated circumstances is illegal in many countries. Currently, discrimination based on sex is defined as adverse action against another person, that would not have occurred had the person been of another sex. This is considered a form of prejudice and is illegal in certain enumerated circumstances in most countries. Sexual discrimination can arise in different contexts. For instance an employee may be discriminated against by being asked discriminatory questions during a job interview, or because an employer did not hire, promote or wrongfully terminated an employee based on his or her gender, or employers pay unequally based on gender. In an educational setting there could be claims that a student was excluded from an educational institution, program, opportunity, loan, student group, or scholarship due to his or her gender. In the housing setting there could be claims that a person was refused negotiations on seeking a house, contracting/leasing a house or getting a loan based on his or her gender. Another setting where there have been claims of gender discrimination is banking; for example if one is refused credit or is offered unequal loan terms based on one’s gender. In todays Jamaican society, it is debatable as to whether ones sex influences their position or status in life. A feminist Shulamith Firestone believed that women were disadvantaged by their biology, due bto the fact that they bear children and as s result they become dependent on the male species for survival. This dependence ion men produced unequal power relationships. Local journalist Peter Espeute, believes that boys face challenges due to inequality from as early as Primary school level. He disputes that girls are usually seated at the front of the class, while the boys sit at the back where they idle and play instead of learning. He also states that the entrance test given to children to decide what High school they go to is given at the wrong stage in their life cycle. It is a fact that at age eleven (11), girls are mentally more developed that boys, therefore the girls would outperform the boys, get the scholarships and be placed at the â€Å"best† schools. A study done by Kevin Harper of Howard University show that gender biases occur even in doctor offices. Doctors are deemed upper class statuses in Jamaica, and see themselves as â€Å"the almighty healers† (Payne-Jackson 1997). The study revealed that doctors were more apologetic to male patients who were kept waiting. More so males of high statuses. Female patients tended to be treated more like children needing instructions. Another example of gender bias may be seen in the workplace. In Corporate Jamaica, males in high positions (CEO,GM, etc. ) are paid higher wages than their female counterparts. As you go down the scale you will find that the salaries are usually level. However in some institutions such as factories and industrial complexes, because of the nature of the job, men are favoured. Even if females are among them, night shifts and overtime are usually approved for the men. The United Nations had concluded that women often experience a â€Å"glass ceiling† and that there are no societies in which women enjoy the same opportunities as men. The term â€Å"glass ceiling† is used to describe a perceived barrier to advancement in employment based on discrimination, especially sex discrimination. Social Class The term social class refers to a system of social stratification which is based on individual achievements, resulting from the unequal distribution of wealth, power and prestige. A hierarchical distinction is made between individuals or groups of people within the society. Social stratification is regarded as structured inequality based on the characteristics of the society and usually persists over a long period of time. It is usually universal and often occurs on the basis of access to the scarce factors of production: it also occurs on the basis of other factors, such as race, gender, age, religion and caste. Social stratification is usually prevalent in most societies. Usually a person’s status is either ascribed or achieved. An ascribed status is usually fixed at birth and depicted by ones sex or race. An achieved status is depicted by ones achievements throughout their lifetime, usually occupational. An open society usually fosters social mobility between the different social classes. Social mobility is the movement of individuals between, or up or down the different class structures over time owing to improvements in their fortunes. Social mobility is usually achieved through the following avenues: 1. Education, the attainment of higher tertiary education leads to more expertise and usually higher income paying jobs. 2. Hard work 3. Marriage, an individual marries into a rich family 4. Family status, the name of a rich family member usually opens doors for that individual 5. Talents and skills 6. Physical attributes, e. g. Miss World, usually marries into a powerful or rich family 7. Luck A closed system does not foster social mobility. Social positions are ascribed at birth and the system is very rigid with clearly defined structures. The caste system in India is a very good example of a closed system of stratification. In this system an individual is born in caste and this determines their occupation, education, social interaction and power. No amount of hard work and achievement can change their status or caste over time. The best example of the open system is the class system. This is found in most modern industrial societies around the world. One’s class in this system is largely determined by ones occupation, education, income, wealth and power. There are four classes in this system. They are the upper-class, the middle class, the service class and the underclass. The upper class is usually made up of the top ten percent (10%) of the wealthy people in the society. This class is also broken down into two classes: the upper and the lower class. ?The upper- upper class is made up of people who normally have â€Å"old money† and are set apart by their wealth and power. These persons have been born and raised with wealth; mostly consists of old â€Å"noble† or prestigious families. The Royal Family of England would be a prime example of the upper – upper class. The lower- upper class is made up of people who have extraordinary large income, which is achieved through occupational means. These people are usually referred to as having â€Å"new money†. These individuals have become rich within their own lifetimes. This class consists of people who own large companies or are CEO’s of large companies. It also consists of entrepreneurs, mo vie stars, top athletes, as well as some prominent professionals). The middle class is divided into three different groups. They are the upper -middle class, the service- class and the lower- middle class. The upper middle class is usually made up of people who have prestigious occupations, such as doctors, lawyers, politicians and entertainers. These people usually earn very high incomes and live in prominent neighborhoods and are able to send their off springs to colleges and universities abroad. These people usually accumulate lots of wealth overtime. ?The service- class is made up of highly trained people who are usually managers at their place of work. These people usually have secured careers and earn very good incomes on the job. Business consultants, teachers, and small business operators are good examples of persons who fall within this class. ?The lower- middle class is reserved for people who earn an average income and enjoy a decent standard of living. These people work in mainly less prestigious white collar jobs and include Sales Representatives, Supervisors, Bank clerks and Office clerks. Most of these people have not acquired a tertiary level education. The working class is usually those people who live from paycheck to paycheck and are called blue collar workers. These people usually earn what is known as â€Å"minimum wage† and are normally the first set of workers to be affected in times of recession. The underclass is those people who fall below the poverty line. They are usually temporarily employed or unemployed and are usually dependent on the state for survival. Conclusion As our motto rightly states â€Å"Out of Many One People†, we are diverse in race, ethnicity, and socialization. Based on our research which included a questionnaire (Appendices), we can clearly state that Social Inequality exists worldwide and Jamaica is no exception. The questionnaire was issued to twenty persons which included two Rastafarians, Two Chinese, three Mixed race individuals, one Caucasian and the rest were Negros. Half were male and the other half females. The results were as follows:- Age discrimination was felt by one young man (22 years old) who was a bus driver by profession. He expressed that persons were not willing to take his bus when they saw that he was the driver. The Rastafarians who were ironically from the lower class said they faced discrimination from every aspect (class, beliefs). Most of the females stated that men are preferred for jobs in the corporate world. One lady in particular related an experience of being in an interview and was told that she did well but they want to hire a male, as too many women were in the office. The only white man that did the questionnaire expressed that he felt discriminated just because of his colour; he was not comfortable going out alone because some people thought that he had something to offer them and were constantly begging. Therefore the question is answered Social Inequality does lead to people forming prejudices which may influence their actions toward person of a particular group or groups. How to cite Does Social Inequality Exist in Jamaica, Papers

Cultural Family History Essay free essay sample

Sto lat, sto lat, Niech zyje, zyje nam. Sto lat, sto lat, Niech zyje, zyje nam, Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz, Niech zyje, zyje nam, Niech zyje nam! As a child I heard this jumbled collection of words flying out of my family’s mouths in song, directly after the celebration jingle ‘Happy Birthday’. Other children would ask me what it meant and all I could comprehend was that it was Polish. I was mildly aware while growing up that I had European family members and ancestors but as I transitioned into adulthood it became less of an understanding and more apart of who I have became today. This essay is going to explore the last four generations of my mother’s side of the family and our own cultural family history. As well as employing forms of cultural and ethical analysis from our two texts and other academic sources, the essay will be demonstrating how my family history has incorporated elements from various cultures around the globe. Remembering the days of old where my family began, goes much further back than my particular research in this essay. Although, where I have chosen to start appears to have the most impact on my life. To begin, the scene is set in 1933, Krochcice Poland when Alois Glosnek was born to Stefan Glosnek and Elizabeth Nee Pielat, starting one of the many stages of their family. It is important to note that Kochcice was a part of Upper Silesia, which was inhabited predominantly by ethnic Germans as opposed to Poles. (Russell 1941) Agnieszka was born in 1935 and then Jadwiga, in 1936. On September 1st 1939 Germany invaded Poland and men went to war. Most Silesians, because of their German heritage, were conscripted to the German army. (Lukas 1997) Stephan went to fight in the war as Elizabeth was left to, alone, parent their three children. Due to the war, Stephan was not home as much as he would have preferred. However he was made happy as during the war the third sister, who is now my grandmother, Ella was born in 1943. As the war progressed, there was a vicious back and forth battle between the Germans and the Poles and subsequently the Russians. Later in 1943, Stephan was no longer able to return home to his family as German men, including Stephan’s brother, were killed if they tried to return home. He had two choices, risk returning home and facing new certain death or leaving his family and starting a life elsewhere, which ultimately became his decision. After the war ended in 1945, Stephan wandered Europe trying to figure out what to do and decided on joining the Secret Service. Three years later he made the decision to come to Canada and after his arrival he tried to contact his family but was unable to for a very long period of time. Alois, Agnieszk, Jadwiga and Ella and their mother Elizabeth lived a hard life during this time without Stephan for fifteen years from 1943 to 1958. After a lot of persistence Stephan eventually was able to find his family. Following his discovery of his family he made plans to reunite the entire family. Elizabeth and her four children arrived in Canada on December 14th 1958. As I have often heard, coming to Canada was the best decision they had ever made because they were able to reunite with their husband and father that they had not seen for such a long period of time. After hearing of this â€Å"new† life developing in Canada many Europeans wanted to come over seas as well. The Ochman and Tomasevic family followed in 1960 and Helcia arrived a few years later after the untimely death of her mother Nicia. This portion of my essay relates to the â€Å"Old† culture, examined by Hopper, transnationalism and touching on a diaspora community. â€Å"Old† culture, according to Hopper is based on territory, boarders or nations. Countries and nation states have given you citizenship and community, home is referred to a single place and many are confortable with their stable identity. (Hopper 2007) This was life for Stephan and Elizabeth before they traveled to Canada and following their immigration they flipped the idea of â€Å"old culture† on its head. It is understood that the new conceptions of immigrants no longer reflects on the permanent rupture, of the uprooted, the abandonment of old patterns and the painful learning of a new language and culture. Though, Stephan and Elizabeth did struggle, they became the new kind of the migrating population. Composed of those whose networks, actions and patterns of life incorporate both their host and home societies. Their lives cut across national boundaries and bring two societies into a single social field. It is known that the new conceptualization is needed in order to understand the experience and consciousness of this new migrant population. This conceptualization is transnationalism, building a social field that links their old country of origin and their new county of settlement. (Schiller, Basch Blanc 1992) These transnational diaspora communities develop for multiple reasons including, family, economy, and religion; for my family it is specifically how Stephan and Ella are defined. Times were good in Canada, the Glosneks built successful lives for themselves and their growing families and had often spoke of their time apart as a vacation compared to the extreme hardship they had actually experienced during those years. In 1959 Ella Glosnek met Anton Sinko at a church dance in Stratford Ontario, undoubtedly sparks flew and they were married within the year. Anton, my grandfather, was born in Yugoslavia in 1933 and was twenty-six years old when he immigrated to Canada alone in 1957. Ella only being 16 at the time was ready to bare children and soon enough Joe Sinko was born in 1960. Ella and Anton continued establishing their family with the birth of Frank in 1961, Donna, my mother, in 1962, John in 1966, Fred in 1967 and finally Dave in 1972. Their lack of schooling in Europe made it difficult to find a stable job but Anton found work at FAG Bearings in Stratford while Ella was home with the six children, which made for a very busy household. In 1976 tragedy struck when John was given a particular vaccine that caused him severe brain damage. He was hospitalized and was later declared mentally and physically handicapped from the reaction. This was a complicated time for the Sinkos, especially for Anton and Ella, for they were never exposed first hand to an individual with such impairment. Life continued on, houses were built to accommodate the large family and visitors. Anton and Ella traveled back to Europe frequently with full suitcases packed full of Canadian goods to visit relatives and others still living in the village. Soon enough, their children were getting married and creating their own families, almost doubling the already large, Sinko family. In 1978 Stephan Glosnek passed, then Elizabeth in 1988 both from old age. It was a tough time for everyone who had settled in Stratford, for those two were the pioneers for their new lives in Canada. A door had closed for their family history but the amount of doors that were opening full of their descendants was surely astounding. After their immigration and as they started to stabilize their families, this section of my paper connected to Hoppers â€Å"New† culture, Westernization of their Polish traditions and Glocalization. The shift to â€Å"new† culture according to Hopper focuses on deterritorialization, the Glosnek and Sinkos place in the world was a question. They were exposed to dual citizenship, communities, multiple meanings and a fluid identity. (Hopper) Their lives shifted particularly in the Westernization of their Polish culture. Their children new multiple languages, there was a dominance of the nation state, wage labour, market economy, civil democracy and the neglect of non-western cultures. Glocalization is understood in terms of expansion, rather than belonging to one or two stable groups, people often have complex relations. The Sinko family experienced ex marital partners, multiple sets of in-laws, neighbors, friends, and workmates with different walks of life. Not only were there communities in the flash, they was also widespread, fragmented, loosely bounded family that were in contact with them through, phone and eventually in the 60s, computers. This was a new world for Anton and Ella and their children growing up but with time they learned to cope with the rapidly changing life style. In 1989, Donna Sinko was married to Jeff Wood, a Stratford native with family from the United States and Scotland. Donna, with encouragement from her mother, was prepared to start a family as quickly as possible after marriage. James Wood was still born in 1991 due to a placental abruption, causing an unbelievable amount of blood loss and damage to Donna leaving her in the hospital for six months. After recovery, I, Shaina Wood was born in 1993, completely healthy and as chubby as can be. Following closely behind and really tipping the scale was my little brother Jeffrey Wood Jr in 1995, completing the Wood family. Thinking as far back as I can remember the Polish traditions have influenced my life in many different, yet significant ways. My grandpa always referred to the grandkids as different animals; he always would call me his little â€Å"Koza† meaning â€Å"goat† in Polish and my bother was forever a â€Å"Prosic† meaning, â€Å"pig†. Unknowingly, I was able to learn many polish words this way. Any celebrations with my large family were noted for copious amounts of food and drink over the course of two days. The first day was the actual celebration and the following day everyone was to come back for leftovers. One significant dish my Grandma has always made is â€Å"Kloski†, a round potato dumpling of deliciousness. I have very fond memories of all the woman of the family in the kitchen before the meal, slaving over the stove and counter and my female cousin and I were always deemed the â€Å"Kloski rollers†. Older male cousins would partake in â€Å"Kloski eating contests†, downing about 20 smothered in butter and gravy. I realize now that there had to be not a single health conscious person in that house at the time. Family feasts are my most vivid memory and with the passing of Anton Sinko in 2007 and Ella in 2012, my mother and I have continued on the tradition. Over the years the Sinko name has established a catch phrase due to the size of individual physique, amount of food per helping, the size of how much love is in our hearts or amount of anything in general; it is referred to as â€Å"Sinko size†. This comes after small, medium, large and extra large and it means much more than measurements. This section of my essay can be closely related to hybridity, because of the mixed cultural heritage. Neverdeen Pierce argues it is possible to detect forms of cultural mixing across continents and religions dating back many centuries. Intermeshing a range of influences, mixed cultural heritage and intermingling of cultural influences with a hybrid result. (Hopper 2007) The Polish traditions were brought here in first-hand 1958, and in 2014 they still linger. The fuse of both Canadian and Polish backgrounds is a hybrid construction that is currently and will hopefully always remain my lifestyle. To conclude, my European family and ancestors is a large part of whom I am today as well as my family. This research and written essay has helped me explore the last four generations of my mother’s side and our own cultural family history. As well employing forms of cultural and ethical analysis from our two texts and other academic sources and demonstrating how it has incorporated elements from various cultures around the globe through old and new culture, transnationalism, diaspora community, westernization, glocalization and hybridity. I am thankful for this assignment, for the opportunity to go in depth about my beautiful, fascinating family heritage story. I will always pass this story along but hopefully someday have a large family to start my very own story. Na zdrowie! Bibliography