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
of the major authors from this regions of the world, utilize the power behind literature to reveal and bring some of the problems in their respective societies out into the world. Through the novel The Garlic Ballads, Mo Yan illustrates some of the complications and altercations that villagers experience in rural China; Elfriede Jelinek through her analysis of Austrian society, reveals to her audience how the after effects of the war, changed the belief and behavioral system of the people; lastly, Mario Vargas Llosa through his mysterious and thrilling story Death in the Andes, illustrates the separations in beliefs among the mountain and the costal people. Though these three novel appear to be and are perhaps slightly different in content, through the use of literature, characters, and examples of their respective cultures, the three authors make it possible for the reader to understand the similarities and differences between countries in the European, South American, and Asian continents. Despite being thousands of miles away, China and Peru share similar belief systems that contribute and illustrate how people in these two countries can be closer in thought than they appear. In the novel The Garlic Ballads, Mo Yan illustrates how some of the peasants believed in superstitions and had uncommon values, just as the mountain people in Llosa’s Death in the Andes did. “I don’t believe in that mumbo- Jumbo Gao Ma said. “You must believe. Old man Wang said. “Two suns appeared in the sky this spring. A bad Sing” (Ballads, 236.) Through this quote, the reader can see how Gao Ma’s grandfather; old man Wang, advised and urged his grandson to believe in the superstition that the two suns symbolized danger. Despite this superstition being accepted in Chinese society, Gao Ma was reluctant to make this belief part of his own. Similar to Mo Yan’s illustration of superstitions and common cultural beliefs, Llosa illustrated the same idea through the character of Doña Adriana.”There’s not a lot you can do against them”, [she] continued. “But you can do something. Soother them, distract them. Not with those offerings the Indians put by crevices and gorges. Those little piles of stones, those flowers and animals, they don’t do any good. Neither does the chicha they pour for them. In the Indian community here they sometimes kill a sheep, a vicuna. All foolishness” (Andes, 35). Through this dissection of cultural beliefs and accepted superstitions, we can see how in two different parts of the world, the older generations; Indians and old man Wang, believed and urged others to believe in the sings of the gods. However, through Doña Adriana and Gao Ma, the reader sees how the newer generations are at times reluctant to the beliefs of their ancestors. Although China and Peru share great similarities between their cultural beliefs, one of the major differences that stands out through the interpretation of Mo Yan and Llosa, is the differences in freedom of speech of both nations.
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
dialogue taken place between Doña Adriana and Corporal Lituma, the reader can see a significant difference in how the individuals of these two respective nations behave towards the higher officials in their society; the peasants are scared to speak out, as the fear is entitled upon them since a very young age. Moving towards Peru, it is clear to see how Doña Adriana was respectful to the Corporal, yet did not hesitate to make herself comfortable and challenge the Corporal’s thoughts. Analyzing Austria with the same scope in which China and Peru can be analyzed, the Austrian community has many similar and different things as compared to China and Peru.
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.
In terms of governmental officials, Austria and China are very similar in context. Through the novel The Garlic Ballads, Mo Yan illustrates some of the complications and altercations that villagers experience in rural China; Elfriede Jelinek through her analysis of Austrian society, reveals to her audience how the after effects of the war, changed the belief and behavioral system of the people; lastly, Mario Vargas Llosa through his mysterious and thrilling story Death in the Andes, illustrates the separations in beliefs among the mountain and the costal people. Though these three novel appear to be and are perhaps slightly different in content, through the use of literature, characters, and examples of their respective cultures, the three authors make it possible for the reader to understand the similarities and differences between countries in the European, South American, and Asian continents. Through these three literary pieces, the reader goes on a thrilling ride through the mysterious mountains dissecting Peruvian society; with Mo Yan through the rural areas of China planting and eating garlic; then back again to a thrilling rollercoaster involving the challenges faced by Austrian society as they emerged and recuperated from the after effects of World War two.