My Impression of American Culture-Yihan Wang
Give me your tired, your poor your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
Emma Lazarus《The New Colossus》
As we all know, American culture is a melting pot, which is a result of a large-scale migration in history. Asked about the impression of American culture, those people around me think American culture is very pluralistic, open and free.
From my perspective, American culture has its own features. As I learn more about American history, such as The Civil War and the American Revolution, I am touched by Americans spirits of pursuing freedom and their own defiant form of nationalist resistance. Through my history learning, I deeply understand why The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom and the United States. Nowadays, this spirit has formed a kind of special doctrine, which is called individualism.
However, most Chinese cannot accept American individualism, while independent Americans think it is just a kind of freedom. In our daily life, we are educated to respect our parents, such as, calling them Dad and Mum instead of their names directly, and to help others without expecting anything in return. As a result, in some Chinese eyes, this intensely personal independence, Americans tend to do everything to consider themselves as the center point, means selfish and arbitrary.
Let's set aside our different views. When it comes to what influences my life most among American culture, I think American film, television and music industry does. Titanic, a wonderful movie, captured my heart with its touching images.It is love that makes the world go round.Moreover, watching this movie is just like experiencing a soul travel, making me learn more from it and fly my heart.I think it is a sense of freedom. The Oprah Winfrey Show, which also brought me thinking and joy, especially its free chat form impressed me. As for music, Taylor Swift is one of my favorite singers, her music has a special temperament, I call it free soul.
For literature, I like reading novels written by Mark Twain and Ernest Miller Hemingway. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn let me know about the racial discrimination in America, in addition, The Old Man and the Sea taught me to overcome difficulties without giving up.
Besides, advanced technology, abundant imagination and colorful life are indispensable parts of American culture. NASA, Barbie dolls, facebook, iphone, Intel, NBA…all of these have also shown Americans spirits of opening up the courage and their dynamic development.
By Yihan Wang