This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
"Little Boxes" - Period 6
Today you read the story "Little Boxes" in class. Please share your thoughts about the story and the class discussion that followed in a reflective post. Make at least one comment about another student's post.
23 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I thought this story showed how many people do have a lot of internal conflict in realizing what their identity really is. Especially when people are being grouped in to broad classifications that make it hard to describe all of the unique features about yourself. An example that was expanded upon in the reading was the case of ethnicity, and how people carry more than one ethnicity in many cases, and also in many cases they are only allowed to relate themselves with one race. Everybody is unique, and no two people are alike. So, it is unfortunate when we are made to put ourselves into broad categories that don't show how unique and different we are from everyone else.
I really liked this story and I can totally relate to it. I grew up in a home where Arab and Muslim culture was emphasized and made EXTREMELY important. I was also raised in an environment where I was constantly reminded that I am also an American. Growing up, and to this day, I still have conflicts with some things regarding my identity. Sometimes, when doing random things, I have to pay attention to what I say or what I do because it might go against either my Arab/Muslim culture or American culture. To be perfectly honest though, I love living like this because unlike most people, I actually can understand and accept different cultures more easily.
I agree with Marwa coming from parents with strong Hindu/ Indian values, it's sometimes hard to distinguish between that culture and American culture. However, I believe, as Marwa said, that it gives me a unique point of view on issues, because I can see it from two points of view. The author of the article also saw this as a benefit, when he discussed such concepts as racism and religion. The article brought light to many people's internal conflict of identity, which many people struggle with because of the building of stereotypes based off of skin color, looks, etc, rather then what a person has accomplished.
I really liked this story, and like Marwa I could totally relate to it. I have gone through similar experiences where I struggled with finding my true identity. I was born in India, but grew up in a Chinese household, therefore I had to adjust to the Indian culture, but at the same time holding onto the value and morals I was taught through the Chinese culture. Then I moved to America, and had to adjust to the American culture. It was too easy, but totally worth it as I can relate to people of different cultural backgrounds easily, and am more open minded to different cultures.
This story brings up an issue which many people face every day, though many people don't know it. Today, when we had to write down the things which we do and do not like about ourselves, we were in a way identifying ourselves. Though it is easy to look at someone else and believe that you know something about them from their appearance, the difficulty that some of us had in describing ourselves shows that perhaps what the people around you see is not the same thing as what you yourself see. This leads to the point that, although it is easy to judge someone based on something as simple as their ethnicity, that there is really a lot more to people than their appearance.
I agree with Liz in that people are often forced to put themselves into broad categories in which individuality isn't visible. Also, I agree that this is very unfortunate. Even on something as simple as a standardized test when you are asked to fill out your ethnicity, although they are simply interested for the sake of statistics, for some people, a single ethnicity alone does not begin to describe their lives.
Well said Max. You can't judge a book by its cover. I feel the article today gave good insight into one person's identity struggle. I felt in some way that I could relate. Not that I have such a cultural mix, as those previous have discussed, but during the boxes exercise today, I had trouble identifying myself. I'm sure if i sat down with a friend, we could easily help define each-other's identities. I've had similar trouble as I applied to schools, trying to convey who i was through my applications; fit myself into their box. Though I don't believe that we should allow others to define who we are, at the same time, I believe their insight may be valuable in helping us realize who we are.
I agree with what Max said. The "Little Boxes" story expresses the idea of identity. The title of a story is a metaphor because although the check boxes are small, the impact they can have on a person's identity or an individual's point of view is huge. The author of the essay wants to stress that he doesn't think it's fair to express himself as everyone else. He doesn't want to be classified as just Hispanic or Asian because he is both. The point of the story is to show the importance of identity in individuals.
I think that "Little Boxes" was all about identity and how many people identify themselves with many different races and ideas. I think that categorizing people into boxes makes people question their identity and can make them put aside some of who they are if they check on certain box. In "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest Conrad, the main character does not know who he is. He then tries to find his identity by going out and reading bumper stickers on cars to see how other people identify themselves. People should be their own person and not look to see how others define themselves because everyone is their own person and unique.
I agree with eric that the character doesn't want to be classified as Asian or Hispanic or Irish or English because he is not just one of those. He has connections to all of them no matter how much. By choosing only one of those to check off in a box then you are excluding the other choices and taking away a part of who he is.
I think this story shows the idea that people are individuals and should not be placed in a stereotype because they are from a certain country or of a certain skin color. This story shows a person who is of multiple ethnicities and feels that he should not be forced to confirm to a group because he is of many different ethnicities and feels that he belongs to all those groups. He feels as if a person shouldn't be forced to be a check in a box but instead their own individual.
I agree with Mr. Tabb that there is a lot more to a person that what one shows. I believe that the persona that is on display in school for a person is not what that person may identify him or herself as. People often confirm to a group or a society when they go to new places but the person in this story didn't want to conform to society and instead are an individual.
I really enjoyed this story and how it provoked us to consider identity in terms of generalization vs. the individual. The emphasis on the little boxes was very interesting- such a tiny box is used to identify who you are! With the checking of a certain box, you are essentially labeling yourself and society stereotypes you from this checked-off box. The author's case was interesting because he came from so many different ethnic backgrounds and never could decide which box to check. In his dilemma he realizes the absurdity of having to check a box in the first place. He conveys the message that no little box can define who he is; he will be his own person through his actions and choices. I think the author is right in saying this, but it seems as though society will always rely on generalizations and stereotypes to swallow up the individual.
I think the "Little Boxes" story shows how stereotyping and racial profiling can be extremely detrimental. The author of the story didn't fit in with the Hispanics or Asians because he was a mixed race. This left him as an outcast in society. I think this story shows that people need to throw away their preconceived notions about a certain group of people, and just accept someone for who they are as a person
I agree with what Barnett said about people being individuals. The boy in the story was forced to select when box to describe his race, when he really needed to select many boxes. I don't think it is fair to force someone to choose to align themselves with a particular race and have to forget about all the other races which they can identify themselves with.
This story showed how generalization forces people to leave out important parts of who they are every day. I never really thought about how difficult it must be just choosing a box identifying your race for people of mixed races, because I've always just checked off one box without a second thought. Today, however, many more people have to deal with this problem, and it should be dealt with, and these people should not have to leave important parts of their heritage behind.
I agree with Liz in that it is hard to identify each individual person by just sticking them in one huge category. Though these categories may be similar, the people within them are all different and it is hard to group them all together by just one characteristic of their being.
I really liked what Marwa said about her Arab/Muslim/American culture. She's been raised with a diverse background and because of it she finds it easier to accept others and not pass judgements- definitely an awesome quality to have. As for my own background, I've always been assumed as being German; my last name Heim means "home" in german. Actually, my Dad is adopted and knows nothing about his birth parents... maybe I'm German, maybe I'm not.
I thought that this story did a valid job at showing ethnic differences and teaching us about individualism. When minorities are thrown into a group of people completely ethnicallly different from them it can be tough to relate and make friends. I think that many people underestimate the diversity that many people have and they are willing to accept people even if they are ethnically different from the rest of the group.
I liked your example a lot, Marwa. It is very interesting to hear your real life story about this subject and is nice to see that you have no problems living in the American society.
I dont know why this didn't post the first time but I'll do it again. I thought this story did a great job at showing diversity differences for people in this country and the struggles that many minorities are forced to overcome. I liked the way that the story shows the characters struggles as being a minority and it gave me a better picture as to what minorities have to go through.
Like Marwa and Dev, I have too been exposed to many different cultures and traditions. In my youth I moved around a lot and attended an international school where my friends ranged from Israeli Jews to a friend from Zimbabwe with tribal origins. In the school we were all kids and none of us really saw each other as "black", "jewish", "white", etc. but we did know each others religions and nationalities. This identity of religion and nationality gave us a better understanding of each other, but we never associated it with anything negative or positive. As I got older, and to this day, I notice that right when someone groups a person into a broader category there are always assumptions made that are both negative and positive.
Today you read the story "Little Boxes" in class. Please share your thoughts about the story and the class discussion that followed in a reflective post. Make at least one comment about another student's post.
23 comments:
I thought this story showed how many people do have a lot of internal conflict in realizing what their identity really is. Especially when people are being grouped in to broad classifications that make it hard to describe all of the unique features about yourself. An example that was expanded upon in the reading was the case of ethnicity, and how people carry more than one ethnicity in many cases, and also in many cases they are only allowed to relate themselves with one race. Everybody is unique, and no two people are alike. So, it is unfortunate when we are made to put ourselves into broad categories that don't show how unique and different we are from everyone else.
I really liked this story and I can totally relate to it. I grew up in a home where Arab and Muslim culture was emphasized and made EXTREMELY important. I was also raised in an environment where I was constantly reminded that I am also an American. Growing up, and to this day, I still have conflicts with some things regarding my identity. Sometimes, when doing random things, I have to pay attention to what I say or what I do because it might go against either my Arab/Muslim culture or American culture. To be perfectly honest though, I love living like this because unlike most people, I actually can understand and accept different cultures more easily.
I agree with Marwa coming from parents with strong Hindu/ Indian values, it's sometimes hard to distinguish between that culture and American culture. However, I believe, as Marwa said, that it gives me a unique point of view on issues, because I can see it from two points of view. The author of the article also saw this as a benefit, when he discussed such concepts as racism and religion. The article brought light to many people's internal conflict of identity, which many people struggle with because of the building of stereotypes based off of skin color, looks, etc, rather then what a person has accomplished.
I really liked this story, and like Marwa I could totally relate to it. I have gone through similar experiences where I struggled with finding my true identity. I was born in India, but grew up in a Chinese household, therefore I had to adjust to the Indian culture, but at the same time holding onto the value and morals I was taught through the Chinese culture. Then I moved to America, and had to adjust to the American culture. It was too easy, but totally worth it as I can relate to people of different cultural backgrounds easily, and am more open minded to different cultures.
Correction:
I meant it WASN'T too easy, oops!
This story brings up an issue which many people face every day, though many people don't know it. Today, when we had to write down the things which we do and do not like about ourselves, we were in a way identifying ourselves. Though it is easy to look at someone else and believe that you know something about them from their appearance, the difficulty that some of us had in describing ourselves shows that perhaps what the people around you see is not the same thing as what you yourself see. This leads to the point that, although it is easy to judge someone based on something as simple as their ethnicity, that there is really a lot more to people than their appearance.
I agree with Liz in that people are often forced to put themselves into broad categories in which individuality isn't visible. Also, I agree that this is very unfortunate. Even on something as simple as a standardized test when you are asked to fill out your ethnicity, although they are simply interested for the sake of statistics, for some people, a single ethnicity alone does not begin to describe their lives.
Well said Max. You can't judge a book by its cover. I feel the article today gave good insight into one person's identity struggle. I felt in some way that I could relate. Not that I have such a cultural mix, as those previous have discussed, but during the boxes exercise today, I had trouble identifying myself. I'm sure if i sat down with a friend, we could easily help define each-other's identities. I've had similar trouble as I applied to schools, trying to convey who i was through my applications; fit myself into their box. Though I don't believe that we should allow others to define who we are, at the same time, I believe their insight may be valuable in helping us realize who we are.
I agree with what Max said. The "Little Boxes" story expresses the idea of identity. The title of a story is a metaphor because although the check boxes are small, the impact they can have on a person's identity or an individual's point of view is huge. The author of the essay wants to stress that he doesn't think it's fair to express himself as everyone else. He doesn't want to be classified as just Hispanic or Asian because he is both. The point of the story is to show the importance of identity in individuals.
I think that "Little Boxes" was all about identity and how many people identify themselves with many different races and ideas. I think that categorizing people into boxes makes people question their identity and can make them put aside some of who they are if they check on certain box. In "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest Conrad, the main character does not know who he is. He then tries to find his identity by going out and reading bumper stickers on cars to see how other people identify themselves. People should be their own person and not look to see how others define themselves because everyone is their own person and unique.
I agree with eric that the character doesn't want to be classified as Asian or Hispanic or Irish or English because he is not just one of those. He has connections to all of them no matter how much. By choosing only one of those to check off in a box then you are excluding the other choices and taking away a part of who he is.
I think this story shows the idea that people are individuals and should not be placed in a stereotype because they are from a certain country or of a certain skin color. This story shows a person who is of multiple ethnicities and feels that he should not be forced to confirm to a group because he is of many different ethnicities and feels that he belongs to all those groups. He feels as if a person shouldn't be forced to be a check in a box but instead their own individual.
I agree with Mr. Tabb that there is a lot more to a person that what one shows. I believe that the persona that is on display in school for a person is not what that person may identify him or herself as. People often confirm to a group or a society when they go to new places but the person in this story didn't want to conform to society and instead are an individual.
I really enjoyed this story and how it provoked us to consider identity in terms of generalization vs. the individual. The emphasis on the little boxes was very interesting- such a tiny box is used to identify who you are! With the checking of a certain box, you are essentially labeling yourself and society stereotypes you from this checked-off box. The author's case was interesting because he came from so many different ethnic backgrounds and never could decide which box to check. In his dilemma he realizes the absurdity of having to check a box in the first place. He conveys the message that no little box can define who he is; he will be his own person through his actions and choices. I think the author is right in saying this, but it seems as though society will always rely on generalizations and stereotypes to swallow up the individual.
I think the "Little Boxes" story shows how stereotyping and racial profiling can be extremely detrimental. The author of the story didn't fit in with the Hispanics or Asians because he was a mixed race. This left him as an outcast in society. I think this story shows that people need to throw away their preconceived notions about a certain group of people, and just accept someone for who they are as a person
I agree with what Barnett said about people being individuals. The boy in the story was forced to select when box to describe his race, when he really needed to select many boxes. I don't think it is fair to force someone to choose to align themselves with a particular race and have to forget about all the other races which they can identify themselves with.
This story showed how generalization forces people to leave out important parts of who they are every day. I never really thought about how difficult it must be just choosing a box identifying your race for people of mixed races, because I've always just checked off one box without a second thought. Today, however, many more people have to deal with this problem, and it should be dealt with, and these people should not have to leave important parts of their heritage behind.
I agree with Liz in that it is hard to identify each individual person by just sticking them in one huge category. Though these categories may be similar, the people within them are all different and it is hard to group them all together by just one characteristic of their being.
I really liked what Marwa said about her Arab/Muslim/American culture. She's been raised with a diverse background and because of it she finds it easier to accept others and not pass judgements- definitely an awesome quality to have. As for my own background, I've always been assumed as being German; my last name Heim means "home" in german. Actually, my Dad is adopted and knows nothing about his birth parents... maybe I'm German, maybe I'm not.
I thought that this story did a valid job at showing ethnic differences and teaching us about individualism. When minorities are thrown into a group of people completely ethnicallly different from them it can be tough to relate and make friends. I think that many people underestimate the diversity that many people have and they are willing to accept people even if they are ethnically different from the rest of the group.
I liked your example a lot, Marwa. It is very interesting to hear your real life story about this subject and is nice to see that you have no problems living in the American society.
I dont know why this didn't post the first time but I'll do it again. I thought this story did a great job at showing diversity differences for people in this country and the struggles that many minorities are forced to overcome. I liked the way that the story shows the characters struggles as being a minority and it gave me a better picture as to what minorities have to go through.
Like Marwa and Dev, I have too been exposed to many different cultures and traditions. In my youth I moved around a lot and attended an international school where my friends ranged from Israeli Jews to a friend from Zimbabwe with tribal origins. In the school we were all kids and none of us really saw each other as "black", "jewish", "white", etc. but we did know each others religions and nationalities. This identity of religion and nationality gave us a better understanding of each other, but we never associated it with anything negative or positive. As I got older, and to this day, I notice that right when someone groups a person into a broader category there are always assumptions made that are both negative and positive.
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