I suppose you could say my father's world was Thomas Hardy and my mother's D.H. Lawrence.
Seamus Heaney
The poet Seamus Heaney has stated that the rival worlds of his mother and father shaped him into the person he is and greatly influenced his poetry. His father was from the ancient world of farming and his mother was from the modern industrial world. Heaney has also stated that being from the country of Ireland with all its unique heritage is an inate part of him. Do where we come from and where are parents come from shape who we are? Is our heritage something to be embraced or to be overcome? What has helped you (or hindered you) become the person you are today?
I'm Muslim and Nigerian and it has shaped me into who I am today. My Nigerian heritage has made me someone who will always respect people older than me even though I may not agree with what they do or say. Being Nigerian, I've never told my parents to shut up or called them stupid because that is a very terrible thing to do in Nigerian culture.Some people think that by me being Muslim I'm not enjoying life fully. But I look at what I am not allowed to do by my religion and I am grateful that it prohibits it. Drugs and too much drinking are bad - its been scientifically proven, but I don't need to do it to know what it does to your body. I think that some parts of our heritage should be embraced because they usually define you while others should be discarded because they are too old for this point in time.
ReplyDeleteMy Parents and I am from America which I think influences you. My mom is from Indiana and Dad from Virginia and I'm really not influenced by that ,or are they just in some words they say with accents but not me. But being from America influences me. The idea that in America being known as the land of opportunity influences me to try and strive to be something big. Learning about people that come from nothing, and what that have become in America has a big impact on the way I TRY to go about my life. I try to overcome my "heritage" from my parents, because I am nothing like them and don't want to be like them. They are basically average people and I try to be nothing close to average. I have big lifetime goals as they have like none and just go with the flow and our happy with that. I'm not happy with a boring life filled with nothing as my parents seem to be. They have totally different on views on about 99% of situations that occur in our lives. I do think I am sort of influenced by my religion. I TRY to do things that follow my religion. Although many times I think I make decisions that are against the idea of my religion but at least I acknowledge that they are wrong C; sometimes.... I am who I am today because of my parents but not in the way that they tried to make me become, but I've learned from the things they've done and things I call mistakes they've made and they way they have lived there life and I know the person I want to become/be based of how I have watched them live their life. If that makes since..........I don't think I did this right :o
ReplyDeleteHaley Rasnick
Disregard that one it doesn't make since
ReplyDeleteMy Parents and I am from America which I think influences you. My mom is from Indiana and Dad from Virginia and I'm really not influenced by that ,or are they just in some words they say with accents but not me. But being from America influences me. The idea that in America being known as the land of opportunity influences me to try and strive to be something big. Learning about people that come from nothing, and what that have become in America has a big impact on the way I TRY to go about my life. . I TRY to do things that follow my religion. Although many times I think I make decisions that are against the idea of my religion but at least I acknowledge that they are wrong C; sometimes.... I am who I am today because of my parents but not in the way that they tried to make me become, but I've learned from the things they've done and things I call mistakes they've made and they way they have lived there life and I know the person I want to become/be based of how I have watched them live their life. If that makes since..........I don't think I did this right :o
~Haley Rasnick
Where we come from, along with our parents, does indeed shape who we are because depending on where you were raised affects your beliefs, your actions, and who you are as a person. My parents, along with myself, were born and raised in America. Our heritage is something to be embraced because America is one of the few countries that allows you to have numerous freedoms, such as making your own decisions, to an extent, voicing your opinion to the people, and also being able to choose the life you want to live. I have become the person I am today by observing my surroundings and learning as I grow by other family members and friends. Also, it was because of my friends and family that I have learned to appreciate things more in life because we are given endless opportunities that we have to choose from to move forward. All the freedoms that we are given in life have helped shape who I am because it has allowed me to explore the different choices and paths I can make on my own.- Alicia Wilson
ReplyDeleteMy family and I are from America, which has a huge influence of all of its society, new and old. It definitely shapes us who we are especially from rules, influences, and even living conditions. Our heritage is something to be embraced and something every person should cherish. One day it could become extinct, such as many heritages have done. It defines who you are as an individual and as a group. My religion and beliefs to be morally right have helped me become who I am today, which is very significant to me.
ReplyDeleteMy great grandparents are from Ireland and I think that the culture influences me a lot, I always want to know more about my heritage and how my great grandparents lived in Ireland. I always want to know more about my family name that came from Ireland. But our heritage does influence us no matter if we say it doesn't, it does. You learn from a young age what your rules,food, religion and etc. are acceptable and usually you follow what is acceptable for your culture.
ReplyDeleteMy Dads side is from chicago, and my moms side is from florida. Of course where you and you parents are from is going to shape who you are because every country and society is different. If My parents were from china i am sure I would be 100% different. Here in America we have an Individualistic society and we have alot more choices to make. I believe in freedom and I believe a person should be able to do what ever they want with their life and with their body as long as they dont harm other people. My parents being from America definately influenced that. I am the third generation of sydenstrickers in america and the fact that my ancestors went through hell to get here 60 years ago also influences me. It makes me very apriciative to live here and make the best of it do some thing that no one on either side of my family has done. I actually want to graduate high school and go to college, but I also want to have fun and freedom too. If it werent for my family influences, I probably wouldnt be the person I am today.
ReplyDeleteWhere a person or their parents comes from can greatly impact who they are. Both of my parents are full Jamaicans and although I’m American, I am raised as a Jamaican child. All people are different regardless of where their parents come from. My parents have shaped who I am. There will always be certain things I’m able do that are my parents never got the chance to do when they were my age. In Jamaican culture time and age severely impacts a household. At certain times, my parent’s inability to adapt to this day and age can be a hindrance to my life. Heritage may not always be embraced but I do believe that it should always be respected. My family has always emphasized the importance of understanding before rebuttal. Knowing how to approach tradition in order to go about change is extremely important and has helped me grow as a person.
ReplyDelete-Kayla Barrett
I do believe that when I come from and where my parents come from have a lot to do with who someone is, who I am. My mother was born in Aruba, but raised in Montserrat, (where my grandmother was born, raised, and ultimately head) and my dad in Native American and African(Mozambique), somewhere down that line. I think with my mother's side being of the British upper class (governed the island and being in the House of Parliament and stuff), her being the person she is comes across as being powerful, and forever having the upper hand over certain people. She says what she needs to say and gets it off her chest, and I do the same, occasionally. Also, there is something about grandmothers that is just so sacred where the Morson's come from, ( my mother gave me two last names to keep the Morson so if I decided to go back to Montserrat now, they know why I am!) that the Grandmother is known as the queen, literally, which is probably why I cherish my grandmother more than anything :-D. We cherish traditions, like of the island, my grandmother still makes the native foods, listen to their music, go by the same religious system(Anglican) and so forth. My father's side kind of strayed away from what they used to do, but luckily was was born before they stopped. I've been to a Pow Wow, and I know what they do and stuff, but I have also come to realize that they are people that stick together, no matter what. I'm not around my dad's side as much to observe and stuff, but they forever have each others back.
ReplyDeleteI do embrace my heritage, to its full extent, its the outside people that don't.
I think that where I come from has helped my to become the person that I am, but I literally put on a false front so people dont know the real me, just because, I think its easier that way
Where our parents and family come from certainly shapes who we are. Different cultures, languages, morals, and beliefs can be found all over. I know my great great-grandparents on my mother's side came to America from Norway and Austria/Hungary but other than that, the rest of my family was born and raised in America. I think heritage is something that should be embraced because it's something that makes us, and America, unique. No two people are exactly alike. I think my heritage helps me because, being an American, I've been given a lot of opportunities that most people don't get and my grandparents stories about their parents enforce that. I learned from a young age that things like freedom, and public education are two things that shouldn't be taken for granted.
ReplyDelete-Lindsey Tonnesen
I believe where we are and our parents greatly influence who we become. Your environment shapes who you are as a person, and your parents teach you everything you know from birth. Our heritage can be something we want to avoid or embrace, depending on how we feel about it. Your life doesn't have to be dictated by the actions of your family. You can change your life if you'd like, or stay in the role you are born into. My parents have made me who I am today. Neither of them finished high school and they still became great people and my inspiration. - Barack Jordan
ReplyDeleteSure where we come from and where our parents come from can shape who we are, but it doesn’t have to. Not everyone is influenced by their heritage. I’m half Mexican but I’m not influenced at all by Mexican culture. I don’t even like Mexican food… except for chalupas. I was raised by my mom and her side of the family, who are European, but we aren’t really cultural. We’re mostly just American. My families influence on my actions and decisions helped make me who I am today, and who I’m going to be.
ReplyDeleteYes heritage should be embraced, just don’t go overboard. If you’re born in America you’re an American, which, in my opinion, matters more.
Alex Colling
Where our parents come from greatly influence us. We learn everything from them. They teach us how to behave, what to say to people, and most important, our heritage. Our heritage is something to embrace. You cannot just change where you come from. My parents shaped who I am today. They made this beautiful, smart, athletic, and funny man!
ReplyDeleteYour parents surely can shape who you are today. Your parents influence you on everything you do, learn, and much more. You don't have to embrace your heritage. You can change it if you feel. But it is something that should be embraced like Lauren said. Some cultures aren't even around anymore and we have the chance to keep ours around. I think it is all in the environment you are brought up in to decide what you shapes you or let's shape you.
ReplyDeleteWhere we come from is a major factor that shapes us. You learn a lot from the environment your raised in and customs differ from place to place. Even between close regions there are subtle differences in how people act. Your parents play a huge role in this because you are raised by their customs. Our heritage should be embraced, but you can't really embrace it until you've come to peace with it or overcome it. My parents pushing me to do well in school has definitely helped me. It's not that I get grounded for every c, it's that I don't want to disappoint them or myself.
ReplyDelete-Krystal Midcap
Better late than never,
ReplyDeleteMy heritage doesn't affect me that much, though I love to claim that I'm Portuguese, I'm only a quarter from my mother's side and my dad was born and raised in Ocala, so there's no telling what he is for sure. Honestly I only know about 5 whole words from the language, so no, I have never been faced with need to either embrace or overcome my heritage. I do have an interest in it, but it has shaped me in no way, except possibly my love for their cooking. What has shaped me into who I am is the people I'm surrounded with, mainly my mother and father, and my three sisters. Instead of having to learn from my own mistakes while I grew up, I usually learned from my sisters, either from their bad habits or failed relationships. Due to them, I can better understand problems that other people are going through. With my dad gone more than not, and whenever he came home, all I would find was him sleeping for the next day at work. I don't resent him for not spending time with me though like most fathers find time to, because without him I wouldn't be living where I am today most likely or have some of the nice things that I enjoy, so in his own way he cares for me, and I've come to terms with that. He's taught me to be a hardworking, and determined person, (as well as how to really piss off a woman every now and then), and for that I love him. Being raised with mainly estrogen in the household, I've come to a passive better understanding of women's problems, and learned what to do and not to do at a very young age. My sisters though not all full blood related, I love all the same and would do anything for. And since they all have children of their own, I've grown to love little kids. My mother, finally, has always been there, and always knows how to make things better, she's taught me most of what I could never learn in school, and takes care of me in more ways than I can ever realize. I've never felt that anyone has been a hindrance in my life, only another experience to account for. For that, I have become the person I am today.
I didn't write a quote! ok i got it, "if God wanted us to all be the same, he would have put braces on all our legs" (forrest gump)
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