Literary Blog Entry 5
Identity in some cultures, can be found in a
name, in others in occupation, or accomplishments. In African culture, identity
has much to do with a person’s name. Such findings can be found in “Chike’s
School Days,” by Chinua Achebe, “The Deep River,” by Bessie Head, and “Notes of
a Native Son,” by James Baldwin. From “The Deep River,” “people lived without
faces, except for their chief, whose face was the face of all people; that is
if their chief’s name was Monamapee, then they were all the people of
Monamapee.” Everything the people did was in the shadow of Monamapee, people
did not possess their own identity, it was found in their leader, Monamapee.
In high school, teachers could
teach on identity in American culture, and contrast identity with African culture. Teachers can ask: What is in a
name? Students can read the story of “Chike’s School days.” by Achebe. Chike, was
given three names, and his last name means “the mind is at last at rest,” which
was only given to an only child or an only son. Chike, was also “brought up in
the ways of white man,” Chike learned his name did not define him, he developed
a love for learning because of the influence of his teacher.
With keeping popular culture in
mind, teachers could have students read Notes of a Native Son. Students could write about what a
native means, and what it means to be a son. Students could also discuss how
media plays a part in how African American perceive their identity.
Achebe,
C. (2014). Chike’s School Days. Contemporary World
Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company:
Puchner
American
Cultural Center. (2015). Retrieved from https://acc.libfl.ru/discussion-what-is-american-culture-to-me-2/
Baldwin,
J. (2014). Notes of a Native Son. Contemporary
World Literature. The Norton Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company:
Puchner
Beacon
Press. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.beacon.org/Notes-of-a-Native-Son-P947.aspx
Head,
B. (2014). The Deep River. Contemporary World Literature. The Norton
Anthology World Literature. Second Edition- Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton
& Company: Puchner
Lies Young Women Believe. (2020). Retrieved from:https://liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/whats-in-a-name/
The
Circular. (2020). Retrieved from http://thecircular.org/embracing-the-african-culture/
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