Research Essay

Can Gender Inequality ever be Balanced?

            In nowadays society, power, money and knowledge can make a race or gender becomes dominant and has the right to control the society. Men have been the dominant role in the society ever since the human history has been recorded. In ancient time, men were responsible for hunting for food while women were responsible for cooking and taking care of children at home. As time goes along, this phenomenon hasn’t changed a lot yet. Men are still responsible for working whereas women are still responsible for doing housework. Gender inequalities are ingrained in everyone’s mind and these behaviors and beliefs become social norms.  We can see gender inequalities in family, economic activity, or politics. Managers, CEOs, and breadwinners are usually considered to be men’s role; however, more and more people nowadays suggest that two genders should be treated equally. Men and women should have the same opportunity and position in the society, and women should have their rights to vote and be the leaders or headers, and because of globalization, more women have devoted their time and energies into their jobs and careers instead of taking care of their children or doing housework. I think women are going to share the same right as men in some day, and gender inequality will be eliminated.

Having a better developed mind than women, men often show to have more confident. They are dominant in terms of their power and are usually in the higher social class. Men are born to be more muscular, more powerful, and stronger than women, and are used to be the important and helpful one in a community. In a family, men are responsible for doing all the tough works because they are physically stronger than women. Also, men are often believed to have abilities to make serious decisions, while women only follow and respect what men do and decide. In a traditional family in China:

The father is usually the head of the family. He is referred as ‘chia-chang' which means ‘elder of the family'. Husband occupies the highest position. Mother takes over the position after the death of her husband. (“Chinese Family Culture”)

Households are often headed by men because they are believed to be more intelligent than women. They can make better decisions. Moreover, in Chinese culture, the last name of married women and children has to be the same as their husbands’ and fathers’ last name. Men’s inherited privilege helps them to be dominant. Outside of a family, males still play a dominant role in the traditional Chinese society. Kings and leaders of this country are always males and it is true in even today’s China. Like the presidents in the USA, all of them have been taken by men since the 18^th century. These show men are believed to have the power to control more than women in a society.

Fortunately, having more power than before, it is possible for modern women to share the same rights as men do. In many single families, women are able to balance between their jobs and looking after their children. They are more independent because the spending from their children encourages them to earn more money. According to the current population reports from Washington, the statics shows the number of households headed by women has risen across all racial groups in the US. (Andersen) Women can be the head of a family and earn for the whole family. People are now socialized much more differently than before. Because of globalization, traditional families all over the world begin to accept new cultures and beliefs. Men can do the housework while women can work outside. Outside of a family, women can now participate in political activities and they have shown their leadership and confidence. One good example would be Hillary Rodham Clinton, she elected for the US president in 2009. Although she is a woman, she gained support from all around the world. It shows that women actually do have leadership and the ability to control and manage various things. Moreover, we can also see that women, just like men, also have their dreams and goals. More than a billion women are going to start their own businesses and take up positions in upper management level and professions such as law and medicine (Women Will Be Dominant Economic Force in next Decade). These prove that women can actually be independent and they have gained more power in the society than before. They are not the one who stay behind and follow what the men do anymore.

             It is impossible for a person to be dominant if he/she is not educated. Education is important for a person who wants to gain his/her power. “Education helps men and women claim their rights and realize their potential in the economic, political and social areas,” (Right to Education). Women were always demeaned and ignored in the society since men did not think a woman who had not been educated could contribute to the family or society. Due to the social belief and cultures, girls have fewer chances to be educated and go to school in many countries. Some believe that women are responsible to be housewife. Study is not important or worth for them. In the poor country, parents prefer to spend money to foster boys instead of girls due to high cost of education and poverty. In China, girls are used to get married and live with their husband’s family since males are considered to be more important than females in a traditional Chinese family. Some cultures even promote early marriage and pregnancy. For instance, in Indonesia, most females are married under 20 (“Early Marriage in Indonesia”). Due to early marriage and pregnancy, most of them are lack of education. “The low value attached to girls’ education reinforces early marriage and early pregnancy keeping girls and their children trapped in a vicious cycle of discrimination” (Importance of Girls’/women’s Education). Girls are rejected by schools and considered to be responsible for taking care of their children and family. These girls have lost the chances to develop their potential and skills. They are not only deprived of education, but also the opportunity that contributes to the society.

In recent years, more women are getting college degrees and learning professional skills than ever before, and their academic ability is not weaker than men. This happens in many industrialized countries and the first reason is probably the redundancy of early marriage in our traditional culture. In the modern society, usually, both men and women agree that careers and material success are more important than marriage. According to the survey in the US, the number of people getting marriage at the median age has been rising for decades. The statics shows men think that 27.5 is the ideal age to get married while women think it is 25.6. (Jayson). Girls will never be deprived to go to school, and they are willing to do so as well. In addition, most industrialized countries provide free education to their citizens. Like Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government has been offering 9 years of free education to Hong Kong residents and they began to offer 12 years of free education in 2008(U.S. Department of State) . It will not be a problem for girls who want to go to school even if there are financial problems in their families. As a result, women can have chance to develop their potential when they have been educated. They can gain respect and being concerned in nowadays society. In general, women tend to advance in linguistic skill, memorizing, reading and writing. Being better in language and conversational skills, women are more likely to be employed than men for professions like secretary and clerk. Female can be employed in these areas much easier than men. In the modern society, it needs not only scientists and businessmen, but also different talents in order to make a well-developed society. Thus, women become more important in our society since women are now free to use their talents to benefit the society. Although women are generally good at art, there are some portions of them that are good at science. Like Marie Curie, she received a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911, and many honorary science, medicine and law degrees and honorary memberships throughout the world (Nobelprize). It shows that women are not weaker than men. They can be good at both science and art. Their knowledge and skills can be as good as men’s. They can be important and have contribution to the society.

A gender can be dominant in the society when he/she has money. Men can be dominant in families because they are the main support of the family. In the past, men were responsible to make money in order to support the family. Most women could not get a well-paid job, and the reason is that women did not have education and they were born with physically weaker than men. A reason why women cannot work is that they have lower education level, especially in poor countries. In Southern Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Western Asia, the school enrollment rate of girls in these areas remain lower than boys, according to a research conducted in 2005 (Gender Equality Factsheet: State of World Population 2005). Girls have lack of working experiences in these areas. On the contrary, there is a belief that men were able to deal with unpleasant and endure under stress and hard work. Discrimination against women is common in the developing poor countries. In the early century, women who had families might not be employed because they might have to leave from work frequently to take care of their families. “Child care is a huge responsibility which interferes with a woman” (Joseph). They need more time to care their children. As a result, men earned more than women, and women had to rely on men for the income. 

Women have more chances to work in the society and are able to become rich people in nowadays society which might help women to gain equal opportunity. In the USA, there are 42 women out of 400 richest Americans. Oprah Winfrey, who is one of the America’s richest women, earned $315 million last year and $1.31 billion over the last five years. Her net worth is $2.7 billion and controls some of the country’s best-known brands, including Wal-Mart, Gap and Fidelity (Evans). It shows money can make one to gain control power and position. Education and birth control enable women to seek financial independence nowadays. Women have more time and chance to study and thus they are now getting well-paid jobs. The education level difference between men and women is decreasing. The rate of girls attending college and university has increased 2.9 percentages over 1995 in China (“Difference Between Men and Women in Education Level Shortened”). As they have higher education level, they can find a well-paid job more easily. In Hong Kong, men and women at the age group 15-30 has almost identical income and sometimes women even get higher. The income difference between women and men is decreasing (“Census and Statistics Department – Population”). Women are getting richer and they do have the ability to earn and gain as the same as men do. In the US, the percentage of female administrators and managers has occupied 46% and the percentage of female professional and technical workers has occupied 55% (Giddens, Anthony, Duneier, Michell, Appelbaum, Richard P. ,and Deborah Carr). It is possible for women to have the ability to control and manage business. Also, feminization of labor encourages uneducated or poorly educated women to work in poor-paying factories, instead of doing nothing and be dependent to their husband. Women have begun to be economically independent in all social classes. “In China, as many as 40 to 50 million young women have left their home villages in search of factory jobs in large cities” (Giddens, Anthony, Duneier, Michell, Appelbaum, Richard P. ,and Deborah Carr). Women are having more ambitions. They are willing to have their careers or jobs rather than only staying at home and care children.

Women are demeaned and passive in the society because of the social beliefs and cultures, especially in the traditional families and rural countries. There is lack of gender equality in these places. However, with the help of globalization and promotion of gender equality, women are getting more freedom than before. They are not only protected and demeaned in the society. They can have their careers and goals. In most western countries, laws are enforced to protect the rights of women. I think women have shown independence and hard-working nowadays. . “[Women] can create and live by [their] own expression of business, leadership, community and family,” ("Women Will Be Dominant Economic Force in next Decade”). They do have the ability to command and prevail when they have knowledge and money. Therefore, I do not think women are weak at all. They should be treated equally in nowadays society even though they are born physically weaker than men. We should respect and consider the choices and opinions of both men and women because gender equality and empowerment of women are important to human rights. If everyone is entitled to live in dignity and freedom, there will be fewer corruptions in the societies. And it helps the prospect for the next generations and builds up a civilized community.  

Works Cited

Andersen, Margaret L., Taylor, Howard F. “Sociology: Understanding a Diverse”. Google Books. <http://books.google.com/books?id=UILcQZS6Bi4C&pg=PA403&lpg=PA403&dq=In+some+single+families,+women+can+withstand+a+high+pressure+and+support+the+family.&source=bl&ots=i-34tL4H05&sig=3XNTDxMOnZmY2Hy7m-V4zJpFAPc&hl=en&ei=Ph5_TZCuCIf6sAOo7dGRBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false>.

"Census and Statistics Department - Population." Census and Statistics Department . <http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/individual_statistical_tables/population/index.jsp>.

"Chinese Family Culture, Family Culture in China, China Family Culture." Chinese Symbols. <http://www.chinese-symbols.com/chinese-culture/chinese-family-culture.html>.

"Difference Between Men and Women in Education Level Shortened." People's Daily. <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/english/200005/19/eng20000519_41227.html>.

Evans, Katie. "America's Richest Women". Information for the World's Business Leaders. 25 Oct., 2010. <http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/25/america-richest-women-oprah-walton-walmart-whitman-wealth.html>.

"Early Marriage in Indonesia." Irwan. <http://irwan.net/early-marriage-in-indonesia/>.

Giddens, Anthony, Duneier, Michell, Appelbaum, Richard P. ,and Deborah Carr. Essentials of Sociology.

"Gender Equality Factsheet: State of World Population 2005." UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund. <http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/presskit/factsheets/facts_gender.htm>.

"Importance of Girls’/women’s Education” Right to Education. <http://www.right-to-education.org/node/187>.

Joseph, Sandhya. "7 Reasons Women Earn Less.” The Money Times. 4 Feb, 2011 <http://www.themoneytimes.com/featured/20110204/7-reasons-women-earn-less-id-101701709284.html>.

Jayson, Sharon. "Sooner vs. Later: Is There an Ideal Age for First Marriage?” <http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-09-delayed-marriage_N.htm>.

“Marie Curie-Biography”. Nobelprize .<http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1903/marie-curie-bio.html>.

Nobelprize. <http://nobelprize.org>.

"Women Will Be Dominant Economic Force in next Decade." Women's Views on News. <http://www.womensviewsonnews.org/wvon/2010/12/global-she-economy-will-develop-in-next-decade/>.

U.S. Department of State. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2747.htm>.

Personal Biography

My name is Ying Lam Ho. I was born in Hong Kong and went to the US since November 2009. I am an international student from Hong Kong and majoring in biochemistry in Foothill College. And I would like to be a researcher in the future. I have been to the US for more than 1 year. In 2009, I attended a public exam in Hong Kong in order to get a degree. Unfortunately, I cannot be the outstanding students in the exam and get a degree. That's why I have to come to the US and study. In Hong Kong, I was not good at writing and reading English. I was shy to speak and had no confidence in using English. But now, my English skill has been improved a lot, especially after enrolling Brian Lewis's class. Hopefully, I can transfer to UCs in Fall 2012. 

Oral history

Intervieweer: my mom, Dilys

My husband had to work every day. After I born Ying, I had the responsibility to look after her. Therefore, I resigned my job and became a housewife at home. I gave her the name, Ying. This is the first objectively identity which was given by me. Ying did not know anything starting from her birth. What I had to give her is love and patient. Although it was a hard work for me to look after a child for 24 hours, I would do anything which was good for her. When she did something wrong, I would blame her and teach her. Even though she ran in the mall, I would beat her and blame her. Whenever she met new friends, I would ask her not to believe them thoroughly because I was afraid she was being faked. I treated her harshly because I wanted her to be a well-educated girl and did not want her to get hurt. Unfortunately, this made her became inactive. She was not extroverted as the others children. She became a shy and introverted girl. When she went to the grade school, I realized that I was wrong. I encouraged her to join many join-school competition and club. Hope she could meet more friends and learn more things. When she finished high school, I sent her to the US as she had to learn to be independent. When she was small, she relied on me. It is difficult for her to get along in the society if she was not independent. Now, she can learn how to take care herself and live alone. 

True Notebooks

Should We try Juveniles as Adults?

 
       True Notebook represents the voices of some teenage inmates and talks about their life in the juvenile hall. During the time in Los Angeles’s Central Juvenile Hall, most of the teenagers were charged with murder and waiting to be sentenced. They were tried as adults and going to be sent to adult prison. In the story, the inmates talk about their fears, worries, and dreams inside the jail on Mark Salzman’s writing class. Their writing impressed Salzman as they express their sadness and regrets of facing no future and freedom. These teenagers are not developed with mature minds. They need to learn from what they experienced. We should not destroy their future when they do wrong. From my view point, I think the juvenile justice system is incomplete because it is non-sense to try juveniles as adults because they are still learning at these ages. 

       I don’t think we should try juveniles as adults because I can see that teenagers require encouragements and guidance, but not punishments when they are learning from mistakes. Trying them as adult would make them feel too stressful and desperate about their life. They want someone who cares and listens to them. In True Notebook, Jimmy exclaimed, “who cares if we change now? No body, that’s who,” (Salzman 35). He is sad and doesn’t want to change himself because the society doesn’t accept him. No one would ever think of giving him a second chance once he is labeled as a high-risk offender. Some of them feel unfair because the judge never consider their circumstances. Victor believes that “[the society] don’t know what it’s like when [a teenager] [comes] from a family that [doesn’t] have a father there to guide [him/her] in the right path” (Salzman 290). Young people often commit crimes because of their lack of attentions from families. Another reason is the pressure from gangs. Teenagers from poor families choose to be gang members because they want to be respectful in the society, but the society doesn’t give them a chance to accomplish this. The students in Salzman’s writing class write good essays and behave well because they finally have a way to express themselves, writing. We can see that those young people are not totally ignorant. We should give them one more chance to benefit the society. If we put them into adult prison, they will only be punished without being rehabilitated. No one will ever care or listen to them. They need help and education, but not punishments. The goal of incarcerating juvenile is not only to punish them, but also to help them to reform. We should try to understand their circumstances and reform their minds. If we tried them as adults and punish them, they will not be able to rehabilitate. 

      In addition, they might be influenced by the gangs in the adult prison. According to Jimmy and Francisco, inmates would be discriminated when they were sent to the adult prison if they did not fight for their gangs’ rights. This would force them emerge in deviant behaviors even if they don’t want to do it. They could not “become better people if [they couldn’t] have any normal friendships, any normal conversations, any control over what happens to [them]” (Salzman 100). We do need to put them in a safe position to accomplish the goal of rehabilitating them. Moreover, many teenagers would just accept what they see rather than thinking, so adults might become their role models. Fights happen in adult prison frequently. When they see one succumbs to the greater physical abilities of the other. They might internalize the concept that being tough and showing nerve are the ways to protect themselves. Therefore, they might imitate how the gangs fight by socialization. Since the “good” way to protect themselves from being bullied in jail is to care nothing and be a good person. Some of them might become emotionless or introverted. This wouldn’t be a good consequence either. 

       Also, most teenagers would lose the skill to survive in the society when they are incarcerated without education for a long time. They will waste a lot of time in the jail and miss their life on the “outs.” Jimmy believes his life is over because he is in jail and time could not be flipped back. When they are released from jail, they are almost 30, or even older. Every person needs help from socialization at these ages. However, the education systems in the adult jail are less organized than schools. While being incarcerated for too long without communication to the wider society, they might lose the chances to learn and study. They do not experience any new things and “[do] the same routine every day,” (Salzman 318). As they waste their time in jails, they have no experiences of getting involved in the society. They would not have the ability to survive in this society even if they are talented. Like a character in the book, Patrick, he would like to be an animator; however, he cannot learn any professional animating skills in jail. Even though he might be talented in drawing, his dream would not come true. He knows that “if [he] [loses] [his] case, the animator thing is not going to happen” (Salzman 91). If he needs to stay be incarcerated much longer, he will not have time or ability to reach his goal even if he is released. Therefore, juveniles should not be tried as adults and locked up to stay away from the society for too long. Otherwise, many teenagers’ future will be destroyed and they will never have a chance to bring talent into full play. 

       Lacking of freedom might influence young people mentally. Youth in juvenile halls have freedom to meet friends and speak in the class even though they are locked up. Just like what Francisco think about he and his friends’ life in the juvenile hall, “society can take away [their] physical freedom, but [they] still got spiritual freedom,” (Salzman 200). They have the right to express their feelings in the writing class. Their writing and conversations can have cusswords. It shows that there are not too many limitations when they speak and write in the writing class. Salzman also helps them to find out their “real” selves through the writing program. They get a chance to apologize to their parents and confess to their mistakes. It proves that juveniles can rehabilitate with certain freedom. In contrast, there are more limitations exist in adult prisons. The inmates are less friendly than those in juvenile halls. Inmates can hardly have friendships like the students in Salzman’s writing class do. Just like what Jose have said in the class: “You got black guys and Asian guys and Martinez and me in here and we get along fine. As soon as we get to the pen, that’s gonna end. It ain’t possible here” (Salzman 241). Friendship is important to teenagers because they can share their voices to their friends. If young people were put into adult prisons and does not have counseling or friendships, they might become more introverted or even suffer from autism. Besides, they would never have privacy in adult prison. “The staff even watches [them] when [they] take a shit” (Salzman 50). They are monitored every moment. Teenagers might feel stressful and some of them even think of committing suicide. 

       When teenagers get wrong, they have to stay away with their family and friends, and need to be punished by the sorrow, loneness and pain. Just like the story in Francisco’s essay, they are the angels which collided with the devils and lost their energy are getting lost in their life. They are now in juvenile hall and lose their freedom, but they are going to get their energy back and “strike the devil with [their] wings and send [the devil] to heaven,” (Salzman 53). They will be able to reform with encouragements and become good. Everyone makes mistakes, including teenagers. When people are in young ages, they often act without considering the consequences. In my opinion, they should be treated encouragements and support, but not punishment of being tried as adults. The judge should not take away their future for the only one mistake they have made.






Reflection
In this topic, I have understood more about the young people life in the juvenile hall and how young people are important to the society. Although I have not gone into juvenile hall, I do think young people should not be treated as adults do. The reason is they can be talents in this society and their psychological minds are weaker than adults’.
For a reader or writer, I do interested in this topic and I have research many information about the life in the juvenile hall besides the book. I made great points about juvenile justice and my main point is strong. My essay structure has been improved a lot since this is the essay I have worked so hard. 

Code of the Steet

      Theories of Crime and "Code of the Street"

     
         In "The Code of the Street," Elijah Anderson reflects the negative effects in the poor inner-city black community by describing the life and the problems between "the decent" and "the streets." The main reasons causing people emerge in deviant behavior and crime are discrimination and inequalities. When individuals realize that they are treated unfairly, they tend to compete for their interests and protect themselves. In "The Code of the Street", I can see that Conflict theory is the most prominent among sociological theoretical explanations. However, I think control theory explains crime the best. Crimes are committed by individuals because of their "manhood" and desires.

      In the poor inner-city community, residents violate the laws because of the inequalities of the judicial system. "The code of the streets is actually a cultural adaptation to a profound lack of faith in the police and the judicial system" because the whites are dominant in the wider society (Anderson 172). The police and the judicial system only help the white or rich people. When the inner-city black residents call for help, they do not respond them. According to the conflict theory, it argues that laws are used to maintain the privileged positions of the powerful. Under this unequal capitalist system, law is not in favor of the less powerful members in the society, like the poor inner-city black residents. Therefore, the inner-city residents may result in having violent and aggressive behaviors in order to protect themselves. "The street code emerges where the influence of the police ends and personal responsibility for one’s safety is felt to begin," (Anderson 172). Therefore, the inner-city residents no longer believe in the police and desire to compete for their interests.


       In contrast, functionalist theories cannot be the most prominent sociological theoretical explanation in the article. Functionalist theories see crime is resulted from structural tensions in society. The poor residents in the inner-city community will commit crime because they lack of government’s care and endure high pressure. The poor do not only have financial limitation, but also a lack of jobs. Tensions might be built on them and "what little they have may easily be misused." (Anderson 174) When they cannot get the way out, some of them tend to self-destruction and emerge in deviant behavior. However, rich residents can commit crime and emerge in deviant behavior too. They may commit crime because of high pressure from their job, which is also a kind of structural tensions. The rich residents can also be drug dealers or involve in complicated love relationships. Therefore, crimes can be committed by both the poor and the rich people based on functionalist theories.

       Labeling theory and interactionist theory can neither explain the crime nor deviant behavior in "The Code of the Street." According to labeling theory, individual is labeled as "decent" or "street" by sorting his/her behaviors and values towards life. Street families often believe in their own rules and show "a lack of consideration" for the others, (Anderson 173). Street parents may beat their children in order to control them. Their children are socialized to "[be] tough and [show] nerve," (Anderson 176) When children push and shove each other in their plays, they may learn that the victor should be the toughest. "These experiences reinforce the lessons [they] learned at home: might make right and toughness is a virtue while humility is not." (Anderson 176) However, with the support of interactionist theory, criminal behavior is also learned within peers. Once they are labeled as decent or street, their identities can be changed through agents of socialization. Therefore, the decent youth can learn how to commit crime through their peers, media, or society. The street youth can learn how to be polite and respect the authority through schools or families. Because interactionist theory argues that criminal behavior can be learned within peers even though they are labeled, labeling theory cannot explain the causes of the crimes in the inner-city community prominently.

       Control Theory suggests crime will be committed because individual is controlled by the "manhood" and desires. The street-oriented youth wants "to get respect [and] to be recognized as capable of setting or maintaining a certain standard," ( Anderson 180). "[They]…has made the concept of manhood a part of his very identity; he has difficulty manipulating it—it often controls him," (Anderson 180). For example, girls will retaliate and "defend for her against the slander," ( Anderson 181), and boys will retaliate when their possessions or honors was taken by someone (179). Therefore a person sees an opportunity and is motivated to act according to control theory. The government should then strengthen the power of laws and the judicial system in order to control them. However, in the code of the street, there is "decent" in the inner-city residents even though the police and the judicial system do not take care of them. It proves that inner-city residents can control themselves even though there is no law to control them. As a result, control theory cannot be the most prominent explanation in the article.

       Though control theory is not prominent in "The Code of the Street," I think it is the best to explain crime. Some believe that human commit crime because of the environmental factors, such as lacking of job, treating by inequalities, withstanding under high pressure. However, crime is ultimately caused by the desires of individual because humans are inborn with selfish. "Human are fundamentally selfish beings who make calculated decisions about whether or not to engage in criminal activity by weighing the potential benefits and risks of doing so" (Giddens, Dunerier, Appelabaum, and Carr 162). When they see an opportunity, they must be motivated to act and crime is thus caused. If individuals do not desire to win or compete for their interest, they will not be affected by the environmental factors. To conclude, I think control theory explains crime the best while conflict theory is prominent in "The Code of the Street" because crime in the inner-city society is mainly caused by inequalities.






Reflection


In this topic, I learned more about the definition of the 4 sociological theoretical theories: conflict theory, funtionalist theories, control theory, and interactionaist theories. I tried to apply these theories into the situation described in “The Code of the Street”. I understand that everyone commits crimes because of many factors, especially one’s desire and self-fish mind, through reading the concept of theories and the article.

I could give a nice introduction for my essay. However, I could not explain my points clearly. Some of them are logic off. I should explain more. Besides, the proofread problems have not improved yet even though I read the sentences aloud. I should write and read more English in order to improve the sentence flow. 

Yours/Hers identity

          

What’s Hers, What’s Mine

       Identity can be made by the agents of socializations. In “Farmworker’s Daughter”, Rose Castillo Guilbault talks about her memoir and we can also see how she was socialized throughout her life. Her identity was changing through the locations, family, peers, language, and the people surrounded her. Although I have not received the huge achievements as hers, I learned more about “myself” by comparing hers and mine. I realized my identity was built by the similar agents of socializations. 

     Guilbault’s mother gave her the main support in her life and made her more independent. Guilbault was the only child in the family. She had a divorced family when she was 5. Her mother brought Guilbault to the US and worked in a restaurant. It showed to Guilbault that she could be independent even though she did not have a father. Although their family did not have a financial support, they could still have their life as normal families. Moreover, her mother made enchiladas for Mrs. Lewis when she knew Mrs. Lewis does not like Guilbault. Guilbault realized that her mother worked hard and did everything which for her. She did not want her mother got worried and worked so hard. She did not tell her mother even if she had to “endure in the outside” because she knew “[her mother] relied heavily on her own experiences as a basic of understanding the world,”(47). Unlike her friends, she had to work hard and earn money.“[She] had a dream that would cost a lot of money—college,”(177). She relied on herself to make her dream came true even though her mother did not have enough money. After the Christmas vacation, she could still catch up although she had not gone to school for a month. Her mother’s support enabled her to keep going even though she faced many difficulties. Her willpower was stronger than anyone.

     I am different from Guilbault since I am not independent as she did. Instead, I always rely on my mother. My mother resigned her job and became a housewife at home due to my birth. Whenever I wanted something, my mom was willing to help me. This is never easy as she had to look after me for 24 hours a day. Whenever I had fever in the mid-night, she had to prepare a cooling pad and bring me to the hospital. When I was sad, she had to comfort me. In school years, even if I did something really wrong at school, she forgave me. One day when I was 10, I stole my friend’s money because I lost my money that was used to pay the school tuition. My mother taught me the right way to solve the problem instead of blaming me. She also explained everything patiently even though I was stubborn. She helped me to do all the things when I was small. Until now, I am dependent on her although I come to the US alone. When I board on the plane, the feeling was like the first time Guilbault get on the school bus: “Leaving my mother and boarding the bus brought up still more fears,”(48). Whenever I had problems, I would call my mother and asked for her suggestions. In the US, I know that no one could help me. I should not be dependent on my mother anymore. Although mothers are willing to help their children, we have to be independent too.

     Another agent of socialization in Guilbault’s life is alienation. As she had not adapted to the new environment, she was shy and being isolated due to the language and culture. “The older kids laughed at [her], and [she] couldn’t understand most of what was being said,” (48). These “confusing and humiliating” difficulties influenced her life and identity, (48). She became introverted. “But [she] was befriended by nature, which delighted and stimulated my imagination,” (57). She only could feel warm and love on the farm. Fortunately, she found that she had to “be part of beyond the farm [and her] parents,” (126). She wanted “to be their friend and be part of something big and bold. Something that could give [her] wings to help [her] fly away,” (129). She wanted to change herself because the farm did not interest her anymore. She became more extroverted and wanted to meet more friends.

     Guilbault’s life is similar to which I first came to the US. I was introvert to make friends and concentrate on my school work only. I was not good at speaking English. It was difficult for me to speak and meet some new friends. Another reason was I feared that I could not get along with their cultures and life style. I was shy and afraid to disturb them. Teenagers around me seldom played with international students. I did not have the courage to ask if they would join me. When there was group discussion in class, the classmates would never invite me to join them. Even if I joined their group, I would not say a few words because no one talked to me and I did not have confident to speak English as well. I was always being ignored in the class. When I entered the classroom, no one would notice me. I stayed at the corner of the classroom and concentrated on my books or day-dreamed. I felt lonely and I could only spend time on studying and learning English. Now, my English skill has been improved a lot. I can speak more confident. I am not as introverted as the past. I meet friendsvoluntarily. I like to meet international friends and share our cultures’ differences.  



     Guilbault became a confident person and did not give up to be a writer even though she is a Mexican. Guilbault’s fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Rojas, who was the sole Mexican American teacher changed Guilbault’s mind. She is another important agent of socialization in her life. Mrs. Rojas’s speech was “rooted” inside her mind. At first, Guilbault was isolated by her classmates. She was a shy Mexican girl. Mrs. Rojas told her “a Mexican could be considered beautiful,” (86). She realized “the seeds of self-worth, acceptance, and pride…were growing…and [she] found they rooted inside [her].” Pride and confident were given to her. “[She] will work very hard if writing is part of [her] job,” (144). It promoted her to be a writer in the future no matter she was Mexicans or met any difficulties. When she went to college, she stood by her commitment and joined the high school newspaper staff even though she was not allowed to join it. She became a confident woman. The identity of being an introverted girl was no longer existed.

     In Hong Kong, every student requires to attend a public exam in order to get a degree. There are only one-third of them can get the degree. Most students feel stressful, including me. I had to give up study and find a job if I could not get the degree. I was not good at study when I was small. I usually got the lowest score in my class. I was desperate and worried. I want to give up because I think I would never get the degree. My art teacher, Mr. Ho, was the famous art teacher in my school. When he was young, his family did not allow him to draw all the time instead of studying. Because of drawing, he always got the lowest scores in the class. Although his family did not support him, he insisted on his dream. He wanted to be the famous artist in Asia. His passion towards his dream showed me that I could reach my dream if I could insist on it. I should not give up easily. Unfortunately, I failed the exam in Hong Kong. However, I will not give up learning. I travel to the US and continue my study. I have to get a degree in the US and find my dream. Although I might not be successful in the future as him, I learned how to be optimistic when I meet difficulties.

     We are being socialized since our birth. The major agent of socialization for us is our mothers. Our minds and personalities are constructed by their speech, actions, responsibilities and other agents of socialization. “Self” is building and changing throughout the life. My identity is changing with variables. No one knows what will happen. However, we have the courage to continue our life. “[We] are eager to procreate in the spring.”(61) We can have a brand new life by overcoming the difficulties.

Reflection

      By comparing the similarities and the differences between Castillo Guilbault and my identity, I learned more about how agents of socialization affect the formation of identity. I learned our identity is mainly built by the environmental factors, but not ourselves.

      As a writer, I should focus on the sentences structure and explain more on each paragraph. Readers may not understand well of each of the main points. Besides, I should think of some methods to improve my proofread skill, for example, speak out each sentence loudly.   

Identity formation

What Makes Identity?

Identity helps to identify individuals. “Who are you?” We will answer our name in order to identify ourselves. Everyone has their special characteristics, such as personality, name and mind. We need these characteristics because help us to understand our responsibility subjectively. The identity can be changed along with the world and the world changes because of us. Our identities are made by agents of socialization, places, experiences and the history.

The identity is controlled by places. “Identity is objectively defined as location in a certain world and can be subjectively appropriated only along with what world.” (Berger and Luckmann) Our nationality is objectively decided because it is according to which nation we are born and the nationality of our family. We generalized the roles and the attitudes of the others in socialization. In the process of socialization, our identities are changing. When we are learning at school, our identities are student and classmate. When we are at home, our identities are daughter, son, brother or sister. The identity is being changed along the world and we have to take different responsibility. We have to attend the lectures on time. We have to look after our brothers or sisters or help to do the housework. These realities also give identities to us.

The identity is determined by the agents of socialization. Apart from being changed by the locations, children’ identities are determined through learning. “Children pick up ways of behavior characteristic of their parents or others in their neighborhood or community.” (Giddens, Duneier and Appelbaum) Wherever we were born, we learned the behavior of the adults around us. Chinese children will learn how to use the chopstick from their adults. When the others know that you know how to use chopstick, people can identify you as Chinese. Besides, Chinese will learn how to speak Mandarin. Learning the cultures by socialization can determine the identity for us. Therefore, the identity is clarified by the agents of socialization, the living environments, and the people around us.

In addition, the identity is made through experiences and communications. “This characteristic [of an object to itself] is represented in the word ‘self’, which is a reflexive, and indicates that which can be both subject and object.” (Mead) “Self” means identity. We cannot see our whole body by our eyes so that we have to see ourselves through individuals’. “Self” can be found in other’s minds and eyes. We can find out how we behave through communications and experiences. When we communicate with the others, they will give responses and gestures. They are the mirror of us. They can reflect how they think and feel about you. When we were young, our parents will be angry and blame us if we get wrong. We will learn how to do well next time because we have experienced the consequences. We are going to change ourselves with their thinking. In short, the identity is made through experiences and communications as we are changing our behaviors and minds.

At last, the identity can be formed by knowing the history and the things around us. “Sociological imagination…[grasps] what is going on in the world, and to understand what is happening in themselves as minutes points of the intersections of biography and history within society.” (Mills) The identity is changed according to what we learn in the history. For examples, I know that I am a Chinese due to knowing my parents and grandparents are Chinese. Therefore, I can inherit to be a Chinese. Moreover, the identity can be determined through individuals’ experiences. We usually change our minds and views by knowing the life story and the history of the others. For example, they will generalize the attitudes or personality of the others because they aspire to have the same life with them.  Besides, we learn how to mend the ways when we got wrong. Then, a new “self” is formed. In short, the history and the things around us affect our minds.

Identity clarifies our responsibilities. Identity is formed by ourselves and the things outside us. It is made through locations, the process of socialization, agents of socialization, experiences, and the history. We change ourselves without end because “socialization is never total and never finished.”(Berger and Luckmann) The world is changing as well as humans. 




Reflection


This topic promotes me to learn and think more about the formations of identity. After reading and thinking, I know more about how identity is formed. The study of the behavior and the history of the individuals promotes me to learn about identity can be changed subjectively due to the changing of the surroundings. We have to be response differently in different environments because identity is changing. Once, we can have more than one identity. Moreover, I learned more sociological terms and concepts throughout reading the materials. This enriches my sociological knowledge as I have never studied sociology before.

      As I was a reader, a writer, or a critical thinker, I learned more about the relationship between “self” and “society”. I learned how to summarize the reading, and then analyze what I read and choose the suitable materials to do my in-class essay. The topic was “What Makes Identity?”. In the materials, there were many unrelated sources, such as what sociological imagination or socialization is. I had to think broader and try to connect these terms and concept to identity.