write a short personal essay in which you discuss an individual s goals and choices in life
Assignment: Write a short personal essay (1-2 pages, double-spaced) in which you discuss an individual’s goals and choices in life, and how they involve reflection on cultural norms or rules about what is right. You may choose to write “autoethnography†(about your own cultural experiences), draw from the experiences of someone you know, or interpret a film or novel. In your essay, you should clearly identify the source or basis for your interpretation, describe who the individual is, the choice they are making, the norms in play, and what social context gives those norms authority. Are you describing a small group’s highly particular norms, such as might exist within a friendship circle, or a norm associated with class or national identity, or with a particular religion? What costs or benefits are associated with a person’s choice to conform or not conform to the cultural norm? And most importantly, what strategies might be drawn upon in a specific circumstance to negotiate between conflicting norms?
