1. The countries and ethnic groups the neighborhood represent Ecuador, Yugoslavs, Italian, Spanish, Irish, American, Asians, other Europeans, Mexicans, and even Indians.
2. Quindlen’s children are like “good connectors”. They built up personal relationship with people from another ethnic group, and therefore the families built up intimacy.
3. Quindlen gets along with her neighbors mainly because she is an Italian, and people of same culture always are interested in each other. Thus, building up personal connections make her get along.
4. The neighbors get along in a micro level without any problems. In spite of their hatred toward certain other ethnic groups, if they know and favor a specific person and his/her history, they will comprehend that the person is fine to socialize with.
Critical Thinking
Interpret
1. What beliefs do most of the neighborhood residents share?
-They believe it is best to adapt to the dominant culture, which is American culture. For example, the Ecuadorian family’s two daughters can speak English fluently and the youngest son can’t even speak Spanish, his native language. Quindlen also believes it this way. Also, there is a belief that if you like a person, the person is not rest of his/her kind, whom you hate.
2. How do these shared beliefs both unite and divide the residents?
-These shared beliefs unite the residents by their curiosity on each other and becoming acquainted with each other. They also divide the residents by their hatred that still exists.
3. What does Quindlen’s choice of neighborhood reveal about what she finds important?
-She finds it is essential to know and learn about other cultures, too.
4. What advice would Quindlen give on how people of different cultures can get along with one another?
-She would advise that getting although it is acceptable to have prejudice against certain other cultures and their histories, but meeting a person from these groups is learning their characteristics, histories and what cultural influences they receive.
Evaluate
1. Do you think it’s possible to be “one of them” and “one of us”? Explain.
-In my opinion, I think it indeed is possible to be “one of them” and “one of us”. So for instance, if I am a Korean and my neighborhood is a Chinese man, I would be closer to him and learn his culture, and since culture is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement, it is not something inherent. Therefore, it is technically possible to “learn culture”, which are like facts. If you can learn and adapt to other culture and as long as you preserve your own culture, it is possible for you to be “one of them” and “one of us”.
2. What does this story suggest about the way people live in American city neighborhoods?
-I believe this story suggests that in American city neighborhoods, the people, not only including immigrants, still contain a feeling of dislike but attempt to be friends as simply neighborhoods. Thus, some people further try to learn other cultures and issues.
March 18th, 2010 Due: March 19th, 2010
Check Your Comprehension
1. The countries and ethnic groups the neighborhood represent Ecuador, Yugoslavs, Italian, Spanish, Irish, American, Asians, other Europeans, Mexicans, and even Indians.
2. Quindlen’s children are like “good connectors”. They built up personal relationship with people from another ethnic group, and therefore the families built up intimacy.
3. Quindlen gets along with her neighbors mainly because she is an Italian, and people of same culture always are interested in each other. Thus, building up personal connections make her get along.
4. The neighbors get along in a micro level without any problems. In spite of their hatred toward certain other ethnic groups, if they know and favor a specific person and his/her history, they will comprehend that the person is fine to socialize with.
Critical Thinking
Interpret
1. What beliefs do most of the neighborhood residents share?
-They believe it is best to adapt to the dominant culture, which is American culture. For example, the Ecuadorian family’s two daughters can speak English fluently and the youngest son can’t even speak Spanish, his native language. Quindlen also believes it this way. Also, there is a belief that if you like a person, the person is not rest of his/her kind, whom you hate.
2. How do these shared beliefs both unite and divide the residents?
-These shared beliefs unite the residents by their curiosity on each other and becoming acquainted with each other. They also divide the residents by their hatred that still exists.
3. What does Quindlen’s choice of neighborhood reveal about what she finds important?
-She finds it is essential to know and learn about other cultures, too.
4. What advice would Quindlen give on how people of different cultures can get along with one another?
-She would advise that getting although it is acceptable to have prejudice against certain other cultures and their histories, but meeting a person from these groups is learning their characteristics, histories and what cultural influences they receive.
Evaluate
1. Do you think it’s possible to be “one of them” and “one of us”? Explain.
-In my opinion, I think it indeed is possible to be “one of them” and “one of us”. So for instance, if I am a Korean and my neighborhood is a Chinese man, I would be closer to him and learn his culture, and since culture is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement, it is not something inherent. Therefore, it is technically possible to “learn culture”, which are like facts. If you can learn and adapt to other culture and as long as you preserve your own culture, it is possible for you to be “one of them” and “one of us”.
2. What does this story suggest about the way people live in American city neighborhoods?
-I believe this story suggests that in American city neighborhoods, the people, not only including immigrants, still contain a feeling of dislike but attempt to be friends as simply neighborhoods. Thus, some people further try to learn other cultures and issues.