Section 1
One of the cultural myths about the United States of America is that anyone can become filthy rich in the country and it is the land of opportunity. Popular culture and media does not leave any stone unturned in making people believe it is a fact, as several movies and television shows are made on the same theory that helps in solidifying the myth. The reality is far from this myth as there are many people to come to America dreaming of making it big, but fail and turn to ordinary life or return home. Though there are some success stories too, but behind those success stories are many more hidden failures that remain out of the picture.
The 2006 movie, The Pursuit of Happyness is an example of a man making it big in the United States of America. The movie supports the precedent and further develops the myth that anyone can become rich in the United States of America. All they need to do is make sure that they work harder and with time they can amass great wealth. The movie also reveals that ambition of making it big can also lead to failure as Chris Gardner is initially shown as a failed salesman who is incapable of meeting his family’s demands. Reading and awareness of myths of other cultures can help in developing better understanding of the different cultures and ensure conflicts and confrontations are avoided.
Section 2
a) Martin Luther King made it his priority to fight for the voting rights of African Americans as despite the Civil Rights Act of 1964, African Americans struggled to register for voting. According to King, the vote was the civil right of every African American and their struggle was an indication of the long battle African Americans had ahead of them. The Selma March was an effort by Dr. King and his supporters to achieve their Civil Right through protest.
b) Both violent and non-violent methods of achieving goals are effective, especially when the fight is for a good cause. It is immoral to use violence even when you are fighting for a good cause. Legends such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King have shown a way that non-violent methods are the best means to achieve goals. Others, such as George Washington have shown the way violence has to come into play when matters get out of hand.
c) Being in the news helps in making sure every action taken is covered by the media and helps an individual or a group to reach out to the their followers. For example, Martin Luther King like many other leaders was able to achieve his goals as the media always covered him and kept his followers in touch with his goals. Media coverage helps in increasing chances of making positive changes.
Section 3
Question 4. Achebe’s novel presents a perspective on importance of cultures as a tribe and white missionaries have their confrontations and problems on the basis of their misunderstandings of the Christian culture. Culture of Umuofia tribe forces Okonkwo to become a strong and rich man, whereas culture also plays an important role in exiling him from the tribe. The misunderstanding of the Christian religion forces Okonkwo to disown his son Nwoye. Also, the story is also impacted by the kidnap of Igbo chiefs by Christians. Overall, the story depicts the way cultural misunderstandings can have an impact on the life of people as the arrival and prevalence of Christian religion changes Okonkwo’s life and plays an important role in forcing him to commit suicide.
Similar misunderstandings are seeing in our world today, especially in case of Islamophobia. Many people all over the world have started to categorize Islam as the religion of hatred and violence on the basis of actions taken by some terrorists. In addition, the book can be related to real life instances as many Muslims who join terror groups have the same hatred for other cultures and religion that Okonkwo had at the end of the book for Christianity. The level of madness shown by many terrorists as they are willing to sacrifice their lives can be related to Okonkwo’s madness while he motivates his clan members to fight against the Whites.
Section 4
One of the most effective ways has already been identified by Senator Bernie Sanders to improve the American economy, but it is a long term plan with results based on the majority of the state governments approving the changes. To achieve full sustainability in terms of production, some industries need government involvement and workers need to be taken care of by paying a higher minimum wage to increase their purchasing power. Social justice is another area that needs major changes as America leads the world in terms of the number of people incarcerated. One of the first actions that need to be taken is legalization of marijuana that will increase tax revenue and free significant amount of money from the justice, law enforcement and jail systems. Another important action is making changes to Obamacare by introducing single payer system, which would ensure that people pay the same amount of money for medical services in all states.
Works Cited
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. Print.
The Pursuit of Happyness. Dir. Gabriele Muccino. Perf. Will Smith, Thandie Newton & Jaden Smith. 2006. Columbia Pictures, 2006. Film.
Selma. Dir. Ava DuVernay. Perf. David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson & Carmen Ejogo. 2014. Paramount Pictures, 2014. Film.
