Culture Clash:India
Culture Clash: Culturally and Politically As I sit here on my bed and wonder how women have been subordinated for so long in the world, I am reminded of why we are. The phrase " The personal is political", from Virginia Woolf's book A Room Of One's Own, is a key idea to why we are. The reason for my attempt to talk on this topic is based on the world and my own experiences. Women are controlled by the systems of government, family, culture, and gender, and especially marriage.I know that in the Indian culture, where I am originally from, women are put down in many aspects by the people around them, both politically and culturally. In India, there is so much poverty and overpopulation. Women are not allowed to have the personal freedom they want because the family and the country expects certain values to be followed, and if they are not followed, we are socially and politically looked down upon. This curtails a woman's opportunity to attain the achievements men are able to make. The reason for this being that women of lower and middle classes are rarely educated, the males are controlling, health issues are a concern, and women are expected to get arranged marriages, based on status, wealth, religion, and language. Families
Being Indian has its own strings, because there are so many barriers even among our own people, that is put upon us because of India. The only thing at this point in my life until I get into medical school, that I can talk to my father about is of my education, which is my top priority. Even for these highly educated women, they are still held by the values of the household and held by the traditions of India. Although he is Indian, he is of a different religion, Sikhism, and of a different language and culture. Although he has graduated from William and Mary, and is going to medical school, this may not necessarily mean he can marry whomever he wants, just like my parents. One of the most important topics among Indians in general is marriage. I do see the love my parents have for one another, but I was surprised that even for affluent families, the strictest traditional expectations are still there. My parents do not expect me to get an arranged marriage; however, my brother, who is 28, would not mind. In this culture, love is gained after marriage. I hope that in the years to come after I am done with medical school, my parents as well as his, will accept our decision to marry. I know that by moving to the United States and living here for the past 24 years, my parents are well established and they are slowly accepting some non-traditional values from the people here. These women come from influential families and are placed in the highest institutions to one day become professionals. I am allowed to have a boyfriend in my mother's eyes because he is someone she thinks would most probably be accepted because he is Indian also; however there is a problem that both of us will most probably face in the future. I think that our families are now moving on to more modern aspects of life and I think most other families are also slowly moving away from the political and social area that was expected from India and its people.
Common topics in this essay:
United India,
One's Own,
William Mary,
Culturally Politically,
medical school,
Virginia Woolf's,
influential families,
politically looked,
indian woman,
religion language,
arranged marriage,
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Acceptance Essays
