The concept of cultural relativism - Assignment Example

Green Grass, Running Water Green Grass, Running Water Passage 2 King explores the concept of God from several perspectives.Primarily, there is the Indian version, in which Coyote dreams and the dream almost takes over as God. However, Coyote is able to convince the dream that it was not God but rather Dog, and that it saw everything backwards. In this chapter, the author explores the concept of the superiority of the gods of both the Caucasian story and that of the Indians creation myth. In the Christian story, the concept of Eve is viewed in the context of Alberta who is having a relationship with two men, and although both of them want to settle with her as their wife, she has no plans or intentions of being married to anything.

As such, the author portrays Eve as cunning and selfish in some way. Additionally, from the concept of the Native Indians, woman also constitutes a critical part of their mythology. However, the author portrays the woman as a mother and a form of a goddess. However, her role in the society is parenting and taking care of children. As such, it is evident that both religious perspectives are different. King insinuates that the Christian concept of God, which the Caucasians popularized, was perceptibly superior to that of the Native Indians, but in reality, the latter had a better concept of religion.

As such, this story explores the concept of cultural relativism. The differences in social values and religious beliefs between many people from different cultures have always been a great debate. In the book, King explores the concept of the God of Caucasians compared to the God of the native Indians. However, the Caucasians view the Indians as an unenlightened lot that believe in an inferior god, Coyote. King also explores the concept of confusion among the concepts of God by showing that Coyote was dreaming and his dreams had become sure that it was a God, but Coyote convinced it that it was not a god, but rather a dog that had gotten the concept backwards.

This expression indicates that people are not sure about God, and have limited knowledge of whom God is and what stands for god. Although the Caucasians perceptibly had a better concept of God, the similarity in the stories of creation, the Indians had their own concept of Adam and Eve, which was not exactly similar to that held by the Caucasians. The issue of cultural relativism is a key issue in the contemporary world. Each culture has its own unique values and vices, religion and doctrines.

Some cultures believe that they are superior to others, but no culture believes that it is inferior. Throughout the play, Eli is shown as an individual who believes too strongly in the Indian beliefs and as such, King leaves the audience to decide which God was real and which was not. Coyote is perceptibly a god, but not the creator, just as another God. Caucasians had a stronger concept of God, believing in one main creator, and as such, some of the Indians began doubting their own God. Caucasians also believed that they were enlightened and as such, the saw their cultural and religious believes as being more superior to that of the Indians.

King, however, does not conclude on whose concept was right and which culture held the incorrect beliefs. References King, T. (1993). Green Grass, Running Water. Ontario: HarperCollins Canada.