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ethnographies
The difference in ethnographies

This essay is about ethnographies. It critically explains and compares ethnographies at published at different times by different authors .This is done to trace the differences with time. This is done mainly to identify the language of the authors, the themes, writing styles, how they appeal to the reader and also how they did their research in reference to the people studied. In this essay Ruth benedict’s patterns of culture is compared with primitive mind by Franz Boas. Both benedict and Boas are historical particularists. They perceive culture having an influence on behaviour of individuals although they hold different views on their theories. To conclude I will sum up all the important facts that the authors are trying to communicate. And also what I have done in the essay.

Patterns of Culture is an ethnography by Ruth Benedict published in 1934. In this book she writes about of three cultures, the Zuni, the Dobu, and the Kwakiutl. She uses these cultures to elaborate her theory of culture as personality-writ-large. Benedict’s main theme is about how personality influences cultures and culture can be understood as an individual personality. This means each person within a culture can be understood in relation to the pattern, traits, or types which characterize their particular culture. For example individuals have personality traits that distinguish them from everybody, so chances are that these traits will clearly influence behavior positively or negatively- tis means we can perceive culture and know information about those individuals within the culture (Benedict 1934:5-7). Moreover she spends time explaining the term pattern. However she hardly uses the word pattern all throughout the book, she speaks clearly about cultural patterns. Benedict states –“that what really binds men together is their culture – the ideas and the standards they have in common" (Benedict 1934:16).

Primitive art is a book published in

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