By Any Other Name Analysis

Culture is defined as: the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. One’s culture is the sole basis of how they view others and the world around them. How a person is raised and the morals that are instilled into them since their first breath make up the background and culture they identify with. A person’s culture consistently affects how they see the people and the world around them. The collective manifestations that make up one’s culture heavily influence how they view the people that surround them. Two people may look at a situation in a completely different way because they have different cultures. If someone has never known any different than how things are in their life they may take certain situations and people in a different way than others. In “By Any Other Name”, the main character, a school girl names Santha, is attending a new school and “there were about a dozen Indian children in the school”, and …show more content…
Even if a person is a part of many different cultures, their collective cultural identity is what shapes their view of the world. In a “Tell Me More” radio interview, called “Multiculturalism Explanation in One Word: HAPA”, Kristeen Lee says, “From my appearance, people assume I’m Asian, but how could a quarter measurement define who I am?” Lee is bringing to the listeners attention that many people assume things about one’s heritage and cultural background, just by their appearance. This statement brings light to how people assume someone’s culture solely based upon the fact that they are different from what they are accustomed to. Lee continues to describe her culture as “a source of empowerment” (Lee 1) and something she is proud to be a part of. Having a multicultural background has allowed her to see the world and its people for who they really are and not where they come