Instruction
Cultural Artifact Analysis
Purpose: We all belong to and are affected by at least one community. Music, food, transportation, sports, fashion, marriage, holidays…These are just some examples of items and dynamics that reflect the beliefs and customs of a community. But what meaning do our everyday objects, practices or relationships convey to those outside our community?
The purpose of this assignment is to pick an everyday thing—an object, short text or product—and explain and interpret it for a member of a different community, such as an international student. You will look at its significance in order to make an assertion about larger cultural values and practices. Your reader should come away from your essay having learned a new way to look at a taken-for-granted cultural object through your description and analysis of its significance.
Questions to Consider:
• What cultures or communities are you a part of
• What objects are significant to that culture
• Why is the object overlooked
• How is it important to you
• How is it significant to the community
Audience: You are writing this assignment specifically to an audience who is either outside your community and who is likely unfamiliar with the object you have chosen. Be sure the community is defined in your paper.
Format: MLA format (includes Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, double spaced with no extra spacing between paragraphs, heading instead of title page).
Requirements:
• Length 3-4 pages
• Full length draft turned in on Blackboard and hard copy brought to class
• Peer Review
• Final draft