Ethnocentrism And Similarities Between China And Peru

Ethnocentrism refers to an individual who sees, thinks, and idealizes with the idea that his cultural background and nationality is beyond better than that of others. In today’s modern and complex society, many Americans tend to live by this belief or idea of ethnocentrism; they believe they are better off, because the United States of America is looked at, thought of, and respected as one of the most powerful and decorated nations in the world today. Despite having different beliefs based on culture and sociological norms, many countries of the world are more similar than they appear to be. In this essay, I aim to dissect the differences and similarities between Austria, China, and Peru. Apart from this, I also aim to illustrate how three
Looking at China as it is portrayed throughout the book; people are simply told what to do and they do it; don’t speak out, don’t complain, just do it. Though in some parts of South America freedom of speech can perhaps also be oppressed, through the context of the books The Garlic Ballads and Death in the Andes, a greater extent of verbal oppression is portrayed through Mo Yan’s illustration of Chinese society. “The Common folk have a bellyful of grievances, but they dare not let them out. For the moment they open their mouths, electric prods close them fast” (Ballads, 274). Through the illustration of Chinese society through the context of this quote, it is clear to see how fear is entitled to the individuals of this society, and how a sense of hierarchy is present, between the people in the case of the book peasants and the government officials. In the other hand, Llosa reveals to his reader how in Peru, people still have the sense universal respect that a government official deserves, but unlike China, people are not afraid to speak their mind.” The walk up here made me a little tired,” she murmured. “I’m going to sit down”.”Are you accusing me of something? Is it my fault there are terrorists in the Andes?”(Andes, 31, 33). Through this
Elfriede Jalinek focused her novel on the after affects of the Second World War during the 1950s. As a result, the reader can see a separation among the people of the nation. Wonderful, Wonderful Times, is similar to the overall message portrayed in Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa. In both of these stories, the people are separated from one another; through Jelinek’s version, there is a cultural separation in the society result of a traumatizing war that has shaped the country and its people; in Llosa’s interpretation of separation, the idea stands behind the differences in beliefs between the costal and mountain people. Though Austria and Peru are two different countries with different people, beliefs, and norms, both countries through the context portrayed by their authors, share a separation among its people. Now comparing China and Austria, these two countries also share a similar portrayal of their society by the use of governmental officials. Through the book Wonderful, Wonderful times, Jalinek portrays Otto as a fearless German Officer. “Father often thinks of the dark skeletons of people he killed. The white and immaculate snow of Poland turned bloody and maculate” (Wonderful, 32). Through this quote, the author expresses the same fear expressed by Mo Yan’s characters to their government.