Essay About Cultural Identity

The Elements of Cultural Identity

One source commented, “Our own culture is often hidden from us, and we frequently describe it as ‘the way things are’” (Trumbull and Pacheco 9). Often times, individuals are blinded by what they consider “normal,” and therefore cannot understand their own cultural identity. People should examine their culture in order to better understand how it affects their identity and perceptions. In order to understand one’s cultural identity, he or she needs to understand what the term means. According to one source, cultural identity can be defined as “invisible webs composed of values, beliefs, ideas about appropriate behavior, and socially constructed truths” (Trumbull and Pacheco 10). Considering this definition, I realize that my cultural identity can be best represented by my close relationship with my family because my they have shaped my beliefs and values. Various aspects of a person’s life that

Art is the way an individual expresses his or her cultural identity into the world. For example, Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most famous artists, often channeled her emotions and heritage into her art. One source explains how Kahlo spent her time “[p]ainting herself bleeding, weeping, cracked open” (Herrera 34). There are many different ways art can display an individual’s cultural identity. For example, in the short story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, the narrator describes how “[the piano] was the showpiece of the living room” (Tan 227). Since art is just a creative expression, each individual can showcase his or her culture through art. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, known for his historical account of Soviet prison camps, shares this belief. He states, “ Writers and artists can do more: they can VANQUISH LIES!” (Solzhenitsyn 203). Through art, whether paintings, musics, or literature, is a medium for one to express his or her cultural