Upholding the Southern Image
Southerners value the image they portray to others and the light in which others perceive them. They uphold many of their traditions for the sake of an ideal image even when it is not in their best interest. For instance, by being in the Bible belt, Southerners look down upon divorce since it is not supported in the Bible. Yet, it is common for a couple to stay married even when both partners are unhappy. By giving off the air of being together, they hurt themselves but uphold their image. Southerners are willing to stand up for beliefs and traditions they do not agree with or even believe in just for the sake upholding the southern image. Upholding images that one doesn’t agree with or only valuing a tradition because everyone else does, is dangerous to meddle in.
Such claims can be found in Mason’s Drawing Names where Iris made it seem like she and her husband, Ray, were still together. Iris begged her husband to go to her family’s Christmas dinner so her parents would not question their marriage status. The setting being located in the South in Kentucky, her parents believed in the traditional values of the South and looked down upon divorce. Iris knew her parents would be disappointed in her and the marriage and could not stand to face them; therefore, she falsely led them to believe her marriage was still a happy one. It is interesting how people influence others so much that they make another change their behavior. I would have to agree that this is an accurate picture of the South since the region does have its preconceptions on how things should be. Yet the same is for any other region. In this idea alone, the South is not different than any other region in having preconceptions.
Also in Dying for Dixie Michael Westerman displayed a confederate flag from a pole in his truck bed without knowing the price he would pay. When passing through the town of Guthrie, four black teenagers saw the flag from the truck and struck out. They ended up chasing after Michael and shooting him out of the rage they felt about the confederate flag. They were angered that after all the years since the Civil War Southerners still clung to the rebel flag that fought for slavery. Yet, when asked why Michael displayed the flag his widow responded, “It matched his truck and made it look sharp.” This just goes to show that people will uphold the images and traditions of the South without even knowing or caring about what they represent. This creates generalizations about what the traditions stand for and can create misunderstandings or preconceptions about the one upholding them.
Ugh my comment didn't go through becuase of my internet....
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here are the main alterations
1. Try to be a bit more concise with your introductory paragraph. The ideas run on a bit and are presented a bit chaotically. Try to cut it down and make clear ideas. THe language is a bit pedestrian. Look for a bit more objective and professional tone.
2.Try to use more quotations. The defense that your have in the last paragraph works better because you have a quote to support it. The paraphrasing and summarization doesn't work quite as strongly as a good quotation.
3. Your topic sentences could be a bit clearer and broad. You tend to limit yourself a bit. For example, in the second paragraph you talk about one marriage in your topic sentence. To give you more meat in your paragraph you could try to and say the marriages found in Drawing names, or something of that nature
4.The way in which you conclude your paper is a bit abrupt and unclear. Perhaps a seperate, clearer conclusion would be better.