People recognize certain nationalities with cultural markers such as appearance, fashion, food and music. In my case, I am more familiar with what belongs as Mexican cultural markers where people assume Spanish speakers are Mexican, where tacos are considered Mexican food, or determining that any type of Spanish music belongs to the culture of Mexican American.  In reality not all of it does though, which is what this book states on how people change to fit in better with what is ‘American’. This relates to what Adiche states where majority of society would consider dark skin individuals to be African American even though there roots do not come from Africa, that is their classification. People classify certain aspects of different cultures to keep them categorized and informed on where they came from or belong. These cultural markers highlight a sense of identity that allows people to distinguish where the roots are coming from.      All these markers serve as identifiers to America; to start off appearance is a cultural marker that is always being altered in order to fit in, it is the first thing any person sees of a person. Infemelu tries to avoid this by trying to fit in and not feel like an outsider. She changes to an American accent and straightens her hair and then goes on to obtain a fake identity to find work. This allows a bit of the social judgments to decrease by categorizing where she belonged or where she came from. She discusses Michelle Obama and Beyoncé, two known African American women, and how their hair would affect the view of the public and the thought of them if they would allow it to be natural. “I have to take my braids out for my interviews and relax my hair… If you have braids, they will think you are unprofessional.” She states it would look unsophisticated and undone, but in reality this is their natural hair. People dye their hair different colors to fit in a different group, for instance, blonde is a popular hair color and it is mainly natural for Caucasians. That is where that color falls in category. The purpose of changing one’s hair is because they say they’re in a country that is not theirs and one has to do what you have to do if they want to succeed.      Additionally, hair is one of the biggest cultural markers used throughout the novel. It symbolizes how the American society created a new look they must achieve with their hair to fit in, where their natural hair is not as beautiful as the “American” women’s hair. Finally, deciding to stay true to her natural roots over the artificial hair the others would choose, Infemelu embraces her African American independence. She states, “You're always battling to make your hair do what it wasn't meant to do” because as stated before these women straighten their hair to make it fit in with society. In the Mexican culture I believe the most traditional hair style is in two braids. This hair style is done during festive days for Mexicans, so it is very common to see them on Mexicans. What also connects to this is how these braids are named after their roots, such as the French braid, the Dutch braid and the Mexican braid. They are all different except they are distinguished by how they’re made and can be classified at sight just as humans are classified at sight.      Not only the way people style their hair but also the way they dress has a lot to do as a cultural marker. Moreover, the way a person dresses is a way of expressing modesty to your culture, depending on moral values, religion, political views and the environment is how someone will dress. By clothing yourself according to the culture one wants to fit in satisfaction is felt and encouragement to be part of the social relationship groups without having a cultural tag.  What you wear influences thinking and the outlook towards your own life as well as identifying what culture you’re in. The clothes one wears also categorizes the different classes you’re in and where you are ranked in society. For example, people like to buy branded items to fit in the middle or higher classes. Another example is people wearing uniforms and the culture they are a part of such as doctors or policemen. The value of clothes shows the value the value you have in society. People dress up to fit the part in society, for example in America during your wedding as a bride you wear a white long dress but in other countries this is not the case. Clothing helps people believe they belong to a certain group and gives them distinction from other cultures.      Aside from clothing connecting as a cultural marker, food is another aspect of it. Adding to this, people also use food to connect to their cultural identity. People with different backgrounds are accustomed to their family tradition food and how they prepare it. The preparation, the ingredients and type of food all goes back to the culture one comes from. We associate many countries with food and categorize them after the country they supposedly come from. For example, we crave Italian food but what necessarily is that? We know it as pizza, pasta and wine but of course there is much more than what we consider that culture. When we crave Mexican food we think tacos, beans, rice and margaritas but in reality this is just a cultural marker we use for this nation. We now search what culture of food we feel like eating whether it’s Mediterranean, Thai, Chinese, French, American, etc. Then we also state we want ‘authentic’ but what is considered authentic? Authenticity, is the preparation and result of how it would be expected to be done in that country of the food you’re having.      Many characteristics come together to form a culture such as appearance, hair in specific, fashion and food/music. Individuals that migrate over are torn between two cultures and the expectations to fit in but also keep their roots. This is where most have cultural identification problems and decide to change. Like the Nigerians, once they change and follow the American culture they begin to call them Americanah. The same goes for Mexican culture, when you go and visit Mexico they just begin to tell you “Gringo/a” which means a native speaker of English but is unrelated to race or their original culture. Although there are many cultural markers these are the main ones that distinguish groups and how they are characterized.

Shelby Frye 

Prompt 2

The Tortilla Curtain illustrates a commonality among people that says we are all striving for a similar dream. It shows us there is something fundamental about being human regardless of geography, race, or gender. Humanity connects us in a way that is universal. We see this happening every day when we send people to Iran to help those who cannot help themselves. However, the gross amount of the population chooses to be isolated by their own fears of what they perceive to be true. We are easily persuaded to flight than fight. We are a  “collision of opposing forces” (Boyle, 1) that propels each of us to search for prosperity and the “pursuit of happiness” even if it puts others below our self. Regardless of the differences laid out in the text Delaney and Candido share more similarities than differences, fighting their own battles against society. The struggle of gender roles, illusion, and class are prevalent for both men.  A wall between Delaney’s human connection with Candido that is culturally embedded within himself.  

Both Delaney and Candido believe in the “single story” of the opposing person. To Candido, Delaney is a “Pink faced gabacho” (Boyle, 17). As where Candido is just a “Mexican” (Boyle, 3). Both carry these perceived opinions about one another based off of race. They fail to recognize that humanity is universal and that they both want the same things in life. They’re looking for a beautiful home, a healthy family, and food for their bellies. Both men want to be the “breadwinners.” They want to be “the man of the house” and to protect their families. Delaney tries to protect his family from Coyotes attacking his small dogs, in the same way Candido tries to move their belongings to the other side of the water. He is trying to keep people away from his young bride and soon to be child.

As people we choose to isolate ourselves from the perception of our fears. Delaney tries to argue with Jack about the wall going up around the community by saying “locking yourself away from the rest of society, how can you justify that?” (Boyle, 101) Yet here Delaney is with his single story of Hispanics and illegal immigrants locking himself out from society. Regardless of Candido being a real heart beating human to Delaney he is filthy, below his feet, and an inconvenience. They have “no education, no resources, no skills- all they have to offer is a strong back.” (Boyle, 101)  To Delaney they’re (Mexicans) undeserving.

As people we share this form of vulnerability that exposes us as weak. Each person has their own flaw whether it’s an immigrant such as Candido trying to come across illegally or Delaney who tries to shelter his thoughts so he will be well liked by others within the gated community. Candido let go all control of his fears by coming across illegally. The first time “the coyote was a fool and the us immigration caught him”  ( Boyle, 52). This effected Candido by making him and his family spend all this money on the coyote to help him get across only for it to be wasted. We see America’s vulnerability when she is attacked in the hills. “You better call your husband” (Boyle, 142) is what she heard as she was rapped by a grown man,. Delaney’s dogs foreshadow the vulnerability of ones self when they’re stalked and hunted behind their wall.

Boyle drops subtle hints through out the text about what makes two people of different ethnicity equal. When Delaney is talking to Jack he makes the comment that “we all have a stake in things” (Boyle, 101). Meaning that we can all influence our own outcomes. Why is it that this does not apply to Candido even though these are the words of Delaney? As a society we begin to sort into groups of whom we want to associate ourselves with. People that are into the same things as us, or make us comfortable around one another. Typically people of the same socioeconomic status. This shift occurs around the age of ten where we break off into groups. We select our friends from a single story of what we perceive to be true. Things that are shared with us by our parents or the media. For Delaney this group of people is upper class, isolated, fenced in.  Candido identifies with this shift and noticeable lack of money saying “where a poor man had to fight like a conquering hero just to keep from starving to death” (Boyle, 180) Referring to himself and not having equal opportunity to succeed.

In the final scene with Candido and Delaney “he saw the white face surge up out of the black swirl of the current and the white hand grasping at the tiles, he reached down and took ahold of it” (Boyle 355). After referring to men like Candido as “peasants” (Boyle, 101). I cannot say Delaney would have done the same thing for Candido. Delaney’s wall of identity has been built to high for him to climb down and take the hand of Candido had he been placed in that predicament. This illusion at the end of the text was great for breaking through the illusion to say the single story was directed primarily from Delaney’s point of view. The writing shows how people from all cultures fight hidden battles that are prevalent to them. Some of which not expectable to society such as illegal immigration. Candido had the opportunity to hurt the man that inflicted pain on him through out the text and rather than revenge he choose human kindness, forgiveness. It was a conflict fixed by a good act to save someone in a time of need. An act that mended the single story for two conflicting groups as they came together as one to reunite a kindling flame of human connection. A wall that had been culturally embedded was torn down for human commonality to shine through.

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