Westernization Case
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Westernization
Westernization has influenced the world over the centuries. Its fairly easy for an individual or a group of people to adapt to this process of Westernization because it is always changing and its a personal choice. Every person or society has their own way of displaying Westernization, but in the story “A Drug called Tradition” it shows how different traditions can interfere with someones personal tradition. Specifically, the tradition is a native tradition involving a ritual use of drugs because they are trying to forget about the past and how difficult it was to be a Native American, but still relate to the cliché of how traditional drugs are used today.
Growing up in todays society, the use of drugs is widely discussed. Like the story, some people grow up in the western tradition involving drug use where a majority of people today dont see drugs as a traditional aspect. The character, Victor, who shows uneasiness with his past, portrays the traditional reaction to a hallucinogen when he describes himself dancing in a vision, then around his friend Juniors car. Victor shows the effects of the use of a drug, but places a more cultural meaning to it. The images he then starts to see relate to his tribal past. “Him dancing wasnt just an action; it was a tradition for his tribe” (quote page 444). The access to these images Victors receives are culturally significant. The Native Americans dont want to be reminded about a culture from which they are trying to escape “Now listen, you can only come with us if you dont tell any of your stories until after youve taken the drug” (quote conversation between victor and Thomas 442) explaining how troubled they are about their past and how they dont want to hear how white men tricked them or stole their homeland.
Thomas simply represents what Victor is trying to get away from, the cultural past of the Native Americans. Throughout the short story, Thomas tries telling stories that are symbolic to the Native American culture that is struggling to survive, so everyone rejects him. Eventually Victor and Junior allow Thomas to tell one story, which shows that some Native Americans still can be interested in the past in some way, because they dont want to lose all of their faith in their culture. “But Junior swore he told us not to slow dance with our skeletons” (quote 446) Thomas is simply telling the boys to never lose sight of their faith. They should be encouraged to accept and engage in their own faith because it will always continue throughout their lives.
“Even though they didnt want to hear the stories of the Native Americans they all want to have their vision, to receive their true names, their adult names” (quote 445) the Indian boys have decided to be real Indians tonight. By using this quote its