Culture
What Is Culture?
Culture is the collective ideas, beliefs and values of a community. Despite our individuality, we ultimately influenced by the communities to which we belong. When exploring literature, we can develop our understanding of culture as a formative force in a variety of ways:
We can identify how the ideas of an author are determined by the cultures to which they belong.
We can see how a work of art allows us to examine aspects of a particular culture.
We can compare our own cultural values to those of the text to examine how we are influenced by our own cultures.
Why Is Culture Important?
Examining culture allows us to understand how people organize and express themselves as collective communities. By understanding the different ideas, beliefs and values of others allows us to better understand the world around us. It creates a sense of unity with and empathy for others which makes us better global citizens.
How Can I Explore This Concept in English?
This concept can be developed by asking ourselves:
In what ways is a text a product of a culture or tradition?
How do texts and literary works express the values and beliefs of a community?
To what extent can a text shape a particular culture?
Key Words
Global Village