Racial and cultural difference - Essay Example

There have been many reasons for the migration of people from one region of the world to another. Initially, trading and bringing slaves from Africa to another parts of the world was an important for bringing people from different race, culture and color. While the reasons of changing social dynamics have broadly remained same, the need to acknowledge and accept their existence has become critical issue in the contemporary environment of fast advancing technology and globalization. Indeed, the equality across race and culture has been given legal and social sanctity, the lingering effects of racial discrimination across the world is still a matter of grave concern.

‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ by Lee Harper and ‘Funny in Farsi’ by Firoozeh Dumas are two books that have raised the pertinent issues of racial difference within our society. While both the books show how the racial differences become immaterial within the broader consensus of human relationship, the way, authors have dealt with the subject is hugely important. In ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’, author has unfolded the consequences of racial hatred through the eyes of six year old protagonist, Scott.

Scott is the daughter of White Lawyer, Atticus Finch, who employs black governess for his three children. Despite social outcry, these white children are brought up black governess who teaches them basic human values that cut across racial and cultural paradigms. Atticus fights the cases of black people who are being exploited by the white dominant society. The children, witness the injustice when they sit in the ‘color’ balcony with their housekeeper in the court of law while their father fights the case of black youth, Tim Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white woman.

Atticus tells his children that ‘..as you grow older, youll see white men cheat black men … and dont you forget it- no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash’ (Atticus , 233). The Finch family emphatically exposed the duplicity in man’s nature and shows that people must treated fairly across race, color and culture. ‘Funny in Farsi’, on the other hand is interesting in its treatment of the subject. Dumas, an Iranian immigrant, who had come to America at the tender age of seven shows how problems due to socio-cultural differences can be overcome in foreign land.

It is an autobiographical account of the author during her growing up period. She says though language barrier was important issue but not insurmountable! The titles of different chapters of the book vis-à-vis Hot Dogs and Wild Geese, Save Me Mickey, Swoosh Swoosh, etc. strongly indicate author’s will to understand and adapt in new environment with a sense of fun and positive attitude. Indeed, the anecdotes are recounted with funny bylines and wit that leave a smile on readers’ faces. Wherever language becomes a limiting factor, like corner shops, sign language not only amply compensates but also helps fill the void that could have easily turned into acrimony and frustration.

Dumas refers that her father spoke a version of English that was not yet shared by the rest of America. She has brought into the open the varying elements of assimilation process within the emerging new diverse society. Indeed, the need to understand cross cultural values and promote equity across the race has become critical because technology has significantly transformed the world into global village, forcing people from diverse culture, race and nationality to live together. (words: 583)ReferenceDumas, Firoozeh.

Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America. Random House, January 2004. Harper, Lee. To Kill a Mocking Bird. Arrow Books Ltd., 1960.