The Chemical Reaction of Culture

Culture and identity serve as two peas in a pod. However, before abruptly delving into the ways that culture can help or hinder someone's identity, I first want target the meaning of the word culture. To some, it is defined as the traditions inherited by one's own nationality, ethnicity, and family. It can include belief systems, the media, as well as a combination of morals and goals influenced by our surroundings. I view culture through an interesting perspective: a scientific lens. If you are not a lover of biology then please bear with me...

Culture is just like an enzyme—you know the biological molecules that act as catalysts and help complex molecular reactions occur in life. For some people, culture serves as the catalyst for the way in which they act. This is true for the character Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright's novel Native Son. In fact, Bigger's life exemplifies the enzyme-substrate complex. Bigger, as the substrate, binds to the societal enzyme. If you know your science, you know that in any chemical reaction a product is formed. In this case, the product is a "native son"—an individual whose life is shaped by his/her environment and is told since birth who he or she is supposed to be.

Bigger's identity is hindered by his setting in a racially divided culture. As a result of growing up in Chicago during the 1930s, he is exposed to racial oppression. The color of his skin deems him inferior and strips him away from the same opportunities offered to whites. Not only is Bigger a black man, but he is an impoverished one as well. His family resides in a rat-infested apartment in the “black belt” of Chicago—the area in which black citizens are confined to live. Such conditions lead him to fall into the violent, aggressive black man stereotype fabricated by society. Flying airplanes, joining the military, and attending college are all the things that he is taught only white people are capable of doing. This ideology lends him to his participation in petty crimes with his gang of friends. For this reason, his rape and murder of Mary Dalton and Bessie serve as no surprise, since it was society that formulated the recipe for a criminal. Without realizing it, Bigger's irrational behavior served as an obsequious bow to the way society wanted him to be. Rather than being able to create an identity of his own, society practically handed him a false one.

So how exactly did Bigger's culture help his identity? Well...it sparked his quest throughout the novel in the first place! Bigger’s actions were triggered by his experiences as a black male in American society. Although he was given a death sentence for his crimes at the end of the novel, the trial itself led him to his conversation with his lawyer, Boris A. Max. This was a significant moment in the novel since Max helped Bigger realize that he was a product of his environment. In addition, the murders that society triggered Bigger to commit enabled him to uncover more about himself. This is expressed when Bigger made the declaration that what he "killed for must've been good". His ability to hide his murders for a period of time helped him realize that he is just as smart as whites and that he has the ability to assert himself against their oppression.

Sadly, Bigger ended his journey in the state of feedback inhibition. Despite finally coming upon a new understanding of his life, the end product of all his actions will be his death. He no longer has the chance to start over in order to formulate his new sense of identity. In feedback inhibition, the end product of a reaction deactivates the enzyme and limits its activity. Although Bigger will face death, he can die knowing that he will not blindly continue his life as part of society's formula for the production of native sons. This realization in itself lends Bigger Thomas to murmur the words "I'm alright now" at the novel's close. 

Uncovering the True Meaning of Literary Merit

Literature is subjective. What I deem significant and valuable can differ from the individual next to me. This notion can be applied to the way in which we define the phrase "a work of literary merit". Despite the various definitions, I feel like a work of literary merit is a piece of literature that provides an underlying message. This means that it can widen your eyes on social issues and bring public concerns into light. These works are memorable, meaning that they leave an imprint on the minds of readers. Oftentimes people view these pieces of work simply as the novels that are read and discussed the most. Although this is true, it is the aspects of these novels that ultimately cause them to be remembered.

Recently I finished reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Many believe that this book is an example of a work of literary merit. Upon reading it thoroughly, I completely agree! F. Scott Fitzgerald uses this story to tackle the materialistic nature of society. He does so by flaunting Gatsby's outrageous parties at his mansion. Amidst all the wealth, people only viewed Gatsby as a source for their own entertainment. However, when it came down to Gatsby’s death, only a few people attended his funeral. The same patterns can be seen when it came to Gatsby’s love life. The wealth and status of Tom Buchanan served as the primary factor that kept Daisy from running off with her true love—Gatsby.

In addition, The Great Gatsby delves into the contrast between dreams and reality. In a way, it serves as a wake up call to many humans. In fact, the very last line of the novel states, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” This demonstrates how sometimes we are constantly preparing for out future while simultaneously fighting our inevitable return to the past.

Overall, this novel is truly awe-inspiring. Its ability to provide social commentary on 1920s American society has rendered it a classic. Fitzgerald wanted to showcase the fact that money isn’t everything. Even though Gatsby had every aspect of the idealized American life, he was actually miserable. Similarly, Fitzgerald targeted the American dream of becoming rich. Despite the fact that America was economically successful during this time period, he urged Americans not to set aside their humanity in order to bask in their new found wealth. For this reason, The Great Gatsby exemplifies a work of literary merit. Let's not forget the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio served as the face of Gatsby in the movie rendition. To me, that's only a plus!

Losing Sight Then, Gaining Vision Now

Boring. That's what I am now. Plain boring. Am i talking about my personality? Nope. I'm talking about my status as a reader. With a vast array of books out there, I seem to have limited myself within the confines of mediocrity. Rather than reading because I want to, I read because I have to. I recall the simple days of first grade, when my teacher would read a new book in the Junie B. Jones series written by Barbara Parks. I would sit anxiously awaiting the next mischievous act that Junie B. Jones would get herself into.  As a kid who barely spoke, I was awakening an adventurous and playful side of me through the use of a fictional character. I eventually joined a book club in elementary school as part of an after school program. It wasn’t “cool” to some of the other kids, but I didn’t care. I remember engulfing myself within the book Holes, written by Andrew Davis. Seeing this film on Disney Channel only served to strengthen my interest in this novel. 

So what exactly happened you may ask? The answer, ironically so, is school. The more I was “forced” to read, the more I was driven away from doing so. Suddenly I was suffocated by a new level of expectation: the ability to analyze a variety of complex texts.  

Looking back at everything, I’ve realized now that I’ve missed out on a lot. I’m not necessarily saying that you have to like every single book, but reading with a "stank" attitude already ruins the fun before it even begins. At the end of the day, the true blame falls on myself. I’ve suddenly realized the need to grasp a hold of my reading. No longer do I want to be an impatient, boring reader. No, no, no. Instead, I want to be a passionate reader; someone who can devour each word in a book, place themselves in the mindset of characters, and enable their thought process to flourish. In a way, I want my readers to follow this same course of action when viewing my blog. A mere glance is not enough. I want people to bask in my journey as both a reader and blogger. I'm ready to do so! The real question is: are you?