The things we are…
Who are you? Do you Know? This unit is designed to find the answers to these questions (well, maybe). We are all products of our experiences. The things we encounter everyday in some way shape our personality. Rarely, however, do we stop and think about our own nature. By studying a variety of materials, the goal is to identify our personality and the influences that helped shape it. Also, we need to recognize that the decisions we make are a result of those experiences.
What does Holden’s red hunting hat have to do with identity? This will make sense later, don’t worry.
To help you think about your own Identity, complete the following “Me Map” (
Me Map) if you did not get one in class.
This unit on identity will encourage you to think about yourself and how the world around you influences you by reading a variety of materials (essay, poetry, short story, novel). This will focus on students—how do they become who they are and how do they end up making decisions.
Who am I?
How did it become who I am?
Think about how these authors explore their identities in relation to others:
“It’s Hard Enough Being Me”
It\'s Hard Enough Being Me
Questions about Hard Enough
- Did the author’s identity change in college? How so?
- What do people expect of her (at college)?
- What is the contradiction she expresses with her situation? (3rd paragraph)
- Why was learning in college difficult for her? (explain paragraph 10)
- The author states it was difficult when she moved to New York to define herself as “Latina.” Do you think it is good, bad, or some of each to be forced to define oneself in terms of ethnicity?
- What conclusion does the author draw at the end about her identity?
“For the white person who wants to know how to be my friend”
by Pat Parker
Think about
- Why do the first two lines of the poem contradict each other? What is the author trying to say?
- What stereotypes does the author bring up? Why does she?
- How would the author identify herself?
What would your own poem look like? What things about you are true?
the first thing you do is to forget that i’m Black.
Second, you must never forget that i’m Black.
You should be able to dig Aretha,
but don’t play here every time i come over.
An if you decide to play Beethoven-don’t tell me
his life story. They make us take music appreciation too.
Eat soul food if you like it, but don’t expect me
to locate your restaurants
of cook it for you.
And if some Black person insults you,
mugs you, rapes your sister, rapes you,
rips your house or is just being an ass-
please do not apologize to me
for wanting to do them bodily harm.
It makes me wonder if you’re foolish.
And even if you really believe Blacks are better lovers than
whites-don’t tell me. I start thinking of charging stud fees.
In other words-if you really want to be my friend-don’t
make a labor of it. I’m lazy. Remember.
-from Making Face, Make Soul
edited by Gloria Anzaldua
( For the White Person Who Wants to Be My Friend)
San Francisco: Aunt Lute Foundation Books, 1990.
Identity
The act of being oneself.
In class we discussed all the things that make up who you are and how you form those things. We considered the role nature (environment) vs. nurture (DNA) in forming ourselves. What role to these things play in our lives.
In the comments below, select one of the topics that follow and write your take on the issue. There is no correct answer and research is often mixed. Then comment on a classmate. You must login to complete.
- Homosexuality
- Criminal behavior, either a thief, serial killer or both
- Alcoholic
Do you think one of these are a result of environment or DNA?
alcoholic-nurture
alcoholic’s most likely drinks because of their sorounding,if there too much stress they cant handle and dont know who to turn to or what to do they think drinking gives them relief or makes them forget wats going on.They can also be influenced into drinking or trying it for the first stime and they keep at it an jus get addicted to it and cant stop.
I agree with that statement because I friends that view it as a strees relever or some of my friends just view it as a good time. And do it because they think its fun.
i agree because some people drick because the feel it is a way out. When people stress they look for thinks to make them feel bettter. Some people think drinking is there way out
i agree with that because if you see people you know drinking then you go wont to try it. another reason i agree is if maybe they grow up see someone they admirer doing it so therefore they think it is the right thing to do.
i agree with you because many people become drinkers because of stress and things going on in thier lives. plus them drinking and being an alcoholic can affect others aroud them.
i agree but i think its more than that because somtimes people drink just to drink or they might be looking for some excitment
I think homosexuality is done by the enviorment because i feel you cant be born that way i feel that throught time whatyou see will change your opion on how you feel about the same sex or the other one.
I agree that you can’t be born gay you just like what you like. I don’t discriminate against anyone so what you do is your own business. I also agree that you’re environment can influence the way you feel about the opposite sex or the same sex. For example if you were raised or hung out with a lot of women then you’re probably going to have feminine qualities same thing with men.
i agree gay is not apart of peoples genes its silly of people to say they were born gay thats just like saying people crackheads or adult movie stars
I agree. I understand why people get the idea that they were born gay because many believe that being gay is not a choice. But no one is actually born gay. It entirely depends on opinion. Even if you were brought up this way, you may still have an opposing opinion and end up straight though your parents are gay.
i aqree because a homosexually learns how to be qay overtime. they see what they want and push for it. People cosse to be gay they are not made that way.
I THINK Alcoholic IS DONT BY THE ENVIORMENT BECAUSE, SOME PEOPLE DO TO FIT IN WITH THERE FRIENDS AND SOME PEOPLE DO CAUSE THEY SEE THERE PARENTS AND OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE DO IT. -DAYDAY
I agree because if your parents are acoholics, then they’re more likely to become acoholics. And yeah, peer pressure is a huge factor to the drinking problem in society.
i agree with this person because people do do it because others are doing so.
i agree with this person because people do do it because others are.and because of their surroundings
Criminal activity is the result of both your surroundings and the way you were raised because one of the most notorious serial killers, the one that inspired “Silence of the Lambs”, he killed mostly women because his mother had raised him to hate women. With things like petty theft and gangs, that’s mostly a result of your suuroundings. A lot people that are involved in those things have gone through some economic struggles, and were raised in this type of sorroundings where that is seen as a way of life.
I BELIEVE PEOPLE DRINK BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS IN THEIR LIFE THATS JUST TO HARD FOR THEM TO HANDLE SO THEY TURN TO DRINKING.
They also do it because they are: stressed out, Depressed,or feel lonely.
I basically think that some people are born homosexual and also believe that some people are just caught and society and just chose to be that way. Some homosexual people just choose to be that way, because of what they see in their commmunity and other places they have visted. And some people are just born that way or brought up around something that triggers those feelings.
people can’t be born gay. it’s a behavior that is learned.
i think that alcoholic drink because of their surroundings and how people act toards them.people do it because they feel its fun or because it relieves stress. also people do it because of peepressure.
i agree they do it for the fun not because its in their genes
Criminal behavior i think comes from childhood where the child is brought up around violence and behavior that childern ain’t suppose to see at young ages.
this is true because I know a few people like that and now they are in jail
Homosexuality is done by dna because you cant help the way you feel about the same sex. A lot of homosexuals try not to be that way because people judge them, but sum cant help the way they feel.
i agree because people are so self conscientious about everything. people need 2 just block others out because in the end you’re the happy 1 and their the bitter one that has no one to call their own. So my advice 2 all the undercover Homo’s just come out and quit being ashamed of what you like.
All 3 of them are derived from both, in many aspects.
Your’ genetics influence the way you act and appear as a child, which in turn influence the ways your react with those around you, and mold your personality in your future life, whether it be an alcoholic, a murderer, or just attracted to those of the same sex.
I think that homosexuality is just another way of life. Some people feel as though that can’t be attracted to the opposite sex verses the same sex. although it may seem weird they have regular feelings just like everyone else. There are those who are born that way and others who later on in life feel different about their sexuality. I think its sad to see homosexuals and lesbians go through the things they do. I honestly its completely unfair.
I agree with your statement that the way homosexuals get treated is unfair. Homosexuals business is not ours too and we shouldn’t judge them. If they’re happy then that’s all that matters.
How are you going to agree with that? How are you born gay? It’s not unfair how gay people are treated, just stop being gay. If being gay is another way of life in a relationship way, why can’t they have kids?
TOO ALL MALES, GO DATE A FEMALE,AND LEAVE THE MALES FOR THE OTHER FEMALES…
I think homosexuality is is caused by nurture. i dont think its possible to be born gay. Its something that you would have to grow up around and experience in order to become a homosexual. I think its something you choose to be not something that you are born with or is stuck with.
The issue with homosexuality is that people are afraid of being themselves because their afraid of what others are going to think of them. STOP WORRYING about what others think if you prefer to be with the same sex well then go for it. Is it worth being upset if you like that girl or that boy go for it. But just get ready 4 the occasional backstabbing betrayal and get ready 4 some people 2 call u GAY or LESBO!!! But let them be childish their just upset because you’re happy!!!
I think anyone should just go for any gender they choose. To be honestits not really their choice. Because if you live a certain way you dont know where you be in the end.
Alcoholics
I believe alcoholics become the way they are because of the way they are nutured (environment). I believe the way a person is raised influences the rest of their life in the long run because it is what they have become accustomed to. If ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ are coming home drunk, mentally and physically scarring their children, it is possible that the child becomes screwed enough to follow in those footsteps.
I think that becoming an alchoholic has 2 deal with nurture because growing up around bad influences causes you to want to do what is being influenced. Growing up with alchoholics and being around them causes u to think its ok to do it. Doing it just to do it can cause it to become a habit. This is a bad habit and habits that aren’t stopped can become your life.
Alcoholism-Nuture
alcoholism is learned. no one comes out the womb wanting boozes.
Criminal Behavior comes from the environment, or nurture. If you grow up in a bad home were no one really cares what you do then you’ll start hanging out with the wrong crowd and start doing bad things. Sometimes kids start their criminal life because they saw their parents do it so they started doing it.
Nature vs. Nuture – Homosexuality
I believe that homosexuality is a combination of nuture AND nature. I feel that it is possible that people are “born with it” and just develop that way. However, I feel more strongly in agreement with the idea that a person’s environment (nuture) plays a larger part in it. I feel that people see their friends or people that admire/look up to/like who are homosexuals and want to be like them. Also, some people may have had difficult, terrible, or life-altering tragedies in their lives that turned them off of the opposite sex. I feel that in many cases, they are products of the environment they are in (I feel that this is true with the other two groups of people as well). It many be in human nature to want to experiment because of curiosity, but the way someone is raised can affect their opinions. For example, they could be turned away from the idea by their religion or the way their parents feel towards homosexuals in general. So, while it could be in part due to nature, I feel that nuture plays a larger part in homosexuality.
Being an alcoholic is based on your environment. It’s not something you were born with. The environment you were raised in usually determines your outcome as you get older and can make your own decicions. Being allowed to do drink alcohol at a young age can also make you an alcoholic. All in all, it can be said that your nature or environment determines your future.
i agree because yo cant be born with it an its your decision if you wanna do it or not, but if it was in your genes you have no choice.
I believe that we was all was put on this to love or like other genders. ex:male love female or female love male. Im not saying we was put on this earth by god or a specific way. I just believe being homosexuality does not making any sense prior to the theory of having a family.
I believe you do not have to be in a female male relationship to have a family. For ex: what if a female is told that she can not conceive children so she decides to adopt a baby girl/boy. What’s the difference from two males doing the same thing, they both are capable to take care of a child the same way as male and female.
-Brenzell Washington/4th period
(Hey DD)
I criminal behavior comes from the person childhood how they are brought up. Like say for intense if the child is bing beat on then he grow up thinking thats its ok to do them things to other people. Another is that if there not getting enough attention that the grow up to act out by doing criminal activity to get attention.
I agree that alcohol is a result of someone’s environment and DNA. If someone was raised around family members or friends that drink all the time sooner or later they’re going to do the same thing which leads to addiction and health problems.It could also be DNA related because if someone’s mother or father or possibly both drink then they’re going to do the same as soon as they can.
Alcoholic
As i see.. that most people think that you drink alcohol just because you had a bad day or something. I agree with that.. but there is a another case too… that people don’t drink for he’s bad day or something but also for fun, for friends, and sometimes to forget everything for a moment…
Anyways.. in my opinion i think that when you drink alcohol it causes you a lots of bad things for example… waste of money, your health, more problems, and also for environment..
I agree with you because drinking problems often lead to financial problems because when you drink you dont make good decisions.
To me I feel that Criminal Behavior is due to their nature,because their surroumdings could include peer pressure, mental disorder,or even if they are apart of provety tring to a way out.
– Devrin
I agree it is from your friends and neighborhoods
I feel you were born into this world to do whatever you like,like whoever you like ( boy or girl ),eat whatever you choose. Most of the time you make your own desisions. I personally don’t discrimate against anyone. I feel its none of our buisness. People choose to be gay, bisexual, or lesbian,it doesnt matter. As long as there happy its fine! I do believe the way you were raised impacts your sexuality. For example if you were raised with all girls and your the only boy you will have famine quanitites more than tough,and vice versa. Again its none of our business.
i think criminal behavior is evniornmental because nobody is born bad or evil it usually depends on what you see while growing up (like living in a bad neighborhood etc)
Alcoholism can affect anyone. It has enormous costs as it pertains to societies, families, and individuals
Alcoholism its combination of both genetic and environmental.
I believe men should like women and women should like men, not the other way around. but yeah, growing up in a certain type of enviorment does effect you, but it also depends on the person, if a person likes to go around robbing people he/she most likely going to go around robbing people, but the thing is if you live in a rough or ghetto enviorment you’ll be more tempted to carry out criminal acts because more criminals live in the ghetto and they will influence you to do so… POWWWW!!!
1. Your first sentence has nothing to do with the rest of your comment.
2. You have far too many spelling/grammatical errors.
3. I believe you are wrong because even if you do grow up in a bad environment, you still have common sense enough to stay away from crime, but only if you are mentally sound enough to know this. However, if you are in a bad environment and you do not have enough common sense to stay away from crime, then yes, you will most likely start committing crimes because you would be more inclined to do so in this event.
Seamus Pwned Hard
Ummmm sure. Did you actually go through the trouble to find me on facebook and tell me to come check this out. dude i dont even know you, why are you even my friend on facebook? (DELETE ME) But yeah thanks for the reply ms or mr Just don’t do it again.
I can’t believe you made me come to this website to read this.. IM PISSED OFF…
I believe seamuscl makes a lot of sense towards the previous statement, because you should have the common sense to learn from your surroundings, if so experiences. I believe that citizens should stop worrying about little things like: cars, clothes, and even their images and open their eyes to see what the environment is really like. You should see the pain and suffering others go through every day because of criminal action, but a lot of them don’t. In conclusion, I believe criminal acts are not something you catch but something that individual decide to do.
-Brenzell Washington/4th period
Homosexuality
I think people become homosexual because of the environment they’re in. I don’t think you can be born homosexual. You have to actually see two people of the same sex displaying physical acts toward one another. If someone sees this they may think it’s the right way to be. Peer pressure can also play a role in homosexuality.
I do not agree with that…
Cause it has nothing to do with your environment unless you know/believe who you are…
Criminal behavior would be environmental. This is because you could be born around people that do bad things and you copy from it. Or it could be the neighborhood you live in and the group of friends you hang with. Your could be pressuring you to do something you don’t want to do.
I think all of these topics are a result of the environment and DNA because maybe you were brought up into an alcohlic family or maybe you were pressured to drink by your peers. Maybe your family is none for criminal activity and you were taught the same way or maybe its too hard for you to get a job and the economy is bad and you have to do whatever it takes to survive. Maybe youe mother or father might be a homosexual and you follow along in their path because thats what you grow up around or maybe its a crazy world lol and you cant find love in the females or males so you seem to find interest in the same sex.
People are born gay or not, being gay makes your life harder why would u chose it my two aunts are gay and had to deal with loads of crap from people.
People steal because of need or just bad morals. I
I have no idea why people kill, they probably think its the best way to solve a problem is to get rid of it. Too bad they end up in jail that way.
People say people use alcohol to get away from their life but some kids just grew up drinking, they don’t know any better. Most kids will listen to their parents far before their teachers or anyone else.
I did them all.
All of them subjects i mean…
(not be gay, steal, and down 40z…)
I think a criminal becomes a criminal by nurture. I dont think being a criminal is in a person genetics I beleive that they get from what they see hear how they brought up and overall soroundings. I think if you hang around a bunch of theives and you see them still all the time you might end up copying these actions
i agree because if your brought up around people who steal than 9xs out of 10 your going to become just like them because if you live in an enviorment like that than the people can influence how u act and what you do.
I think gays become gay because of the people that they are around for example if 2 gay guys decided to adopt and they get a son that makes it a 90% chance the that boy is going to grow up gay because thats the enviroment he in put in so its enviroment not DNA cause some of my friends say they were born gay but when they were a child they did not know what they liked
I disagree with Ms. Willaims statement, because every child that grows up with gay parents, do not mean they would follow in the same footsteps as their parents. There could be a 50/50 percent chance that the child would follow after the parents but just because the environment they grew up in doesn’t and probably won’t affect the way they are or who they will become.
-Brenzell Washington/4th period
I agree, but I do not think that the environment someone is in molds who they are. For example, if both of your parents smoke, you have a high possibility of smoking too when you get older but not necessarily if you set standards and goals for yourself. I think a person is weak mentally if they let the environment they’re in shape who they are or will be, some call it peer pressure.
i think thats wrong just because your parents are gay and your bought up arounfd them does not mean the child will turn out to be gay
i think Criminal behavior is from the persons enviorment. most people that are in gangs, steal, ect is because their friends are doing it in their neighborhoods and because they are always around that type of behavior which can influence how they act. I also think it is from the enviorment because you cant be born with criminal behavior you can only be raised around people with criminal behaviors. ;-]
Nature vs. Nurture- Homosexuality
I feel as though, a lot of people take homosexuality out of hand. A lot people believe that men belong with women, not men, end of story. But what people fail to realize is that homosexuality is up to that individual and his/her partner. It shouldn’t involve the whole environment nor will it affect the environment in anyway. The citizens tend to do whatever it take to separate homosexuality or even gay marriage. For example: using religious beliefs (The Bible) to state that: “men are not allowed to interact with the same sex, but instead they should be committed with the opposite.” But what people don’t look at is the importance of it all…..THAT’S WHO THEY ARE AND YOU CAN’T CHANGE THEM IN ANY POSSIBLE WAY.
-Brenzell Washington/ 4th period
i belive that if you wont to be a homosexual then its your choose and it does not matter and no one should judge you because you chose to go that way.when you choose to become a homsexual that is something that you chose to do with your life and how you wont to live. i dont agree that anyone should be gay but you cant change how they feel.
I believe Criminal behavior results from emotions due to what is said or done to the person or what they grew up to. I don’t think anyone just wants to kill someone but is driven to do something like this in some way. The same being with serial killers and thieves. Serial killers may have an obsession with killing or once again is driven to do this because of what someone said or did to them. Thieves can vary but it is still an environmental cause. A person may want more of something the cannot have which can come from being used to getting everything they want (spoiled as a child) or just a greed because of what everyone else has around them.
I agree. Many people do bad things because their environment pushes them to do them. I do not think a person is born to kill or to commit crimes. I believe a person’s environment molds them into who they are, and affects their decisions in life.
I believe people become alcoholics mostly because of nurture, but nature does have an effect. People born to parents who are alcoholics are more likely to drink when depressed of stressed than those who are born to non alcoholic parents. However, the person has to make the conscious decision to drink other than exercise or do something else to relieve stress. I believe a person’s accessibility to alcohol and the people he hangs out with affects one’s drinking habits.Ultimately, it is a choice a person makes, whether to drink or not to drink abundantly.
i think that being a alcoholic comes from your enviornment because if you see people drinking and having fun you might wanna try it just to see what it feels like.i dont think being an alcoholice comes from your genes because its always your decsision to what you wanna do.
i think criminals come from the enviornment because if you are around it all the time or abused as a child you turn crazy an want to get revenge.
Homosexuals- I really dont care for homosexuals. if a man wants to like men or a woman wants to like women it doesnt bother me. Just as long as it is not towards me, im cool. but either way if someone wants to like there same sex they can because it is nobodys buisness about what they do. Nobody should be judged from that.
I think that homosexuality should be made illegal and it should be a punishable crime. Personally, I think that it’s inhumane and just out right nasty. Who would want to be with someone of their own gender? If you think about it, you might as well let grown-ups be allowed to sleep with children and use the excuse “that’s who they are” and it’ll be perfectly fine.
Homosexuality is caused by nurture. Homosexuality develops to a person they are not born with it. Being gay is not apart of DNA. Homosexaulity may become gay because of their enivornment around them.
i think homosexuality comesfrom your surroundings and not from dna i think people are influienced young and grow into it or maybe they had a tramatizing incident
i think that homosexuality is a nature thing because one you are not born with it. two you chose that life and personally i am bi and not ashamed and i can admit that i chose that life my family may be mad but who cares i gotta live it not them. but i dont think ppl should go around and say oh your going to hell cause you gay because thats not true.