Family Heritage And Self Identity

Many people in the United States or in other parts of the world have given attributes because of the influence of their family heritage (Collins 40). It is obvious that an Indian in from India subcontinent will have religion affecting their self identity than individuals from America. There are various literary works that address the issue of family heritage. Among them, is digging by Seamus Heaney and people in me by Robin Kelley. The indication from both works is that family heritage has an effect on the self identity of individuals. Various ethnic groups in United States have a stereotype that is common and unique to them as a tradition (Sutcliffe 21). This has the meaning that family heritage can either inhibiting or contributing to the self identity of an individual.

It is not rare that an individual will sit down and ponder about their family. While, in the process, there is surreal nostalgia that takes over. It depends on the growing up that an individual has been enjoying. Personally, it is the memories of visiting extended family, great place, and the regular summer trips. Parents ensure that there is a repetition of such activities until they shaped the tradition of families. In a family, most of the activities that they engage in were the same ones that my father participated in his childhood. According to him, despite various improvements his father and my grandfather was also part of the activities in his youth. I am not sure if my children will pass through the same activities, but there is a strong feeling that it is part of my family. Just like our family name one generation passes family traditions to the next generation.

It is normal within the American society that, in an ordinary day, a father will play catch with his son while the mother teaches were daughter to sew. Most American families engage in the activities without realization that it is a crucial part of the American tradition. Previous generations passed down the activities to the present generation, and that is shaping their tradition and that of the next generation. It is difficult to limit family heritage to singular customs. Family traditions end up limiting the self identity of an individual. When there is the occurrence of such incidences, it is the responsibility of an individual to make a decision on the life that they will lead.

Digging a poem by Seamus Heaney is an example of the way family heritage can either limit or contribute to the self identity of an individual. According to the poem, the grandfather of the persona used to dig for peat. He was skilled at digging and passed down the expertise to his father who initially uses it in his flower garden but later on in his potato farm (Collins 41). It is clear that family traditions contribute to the self identity of his father. Despite the fact that he admires to the work of his father and that of his grandfather, the poet does not allow family traditions to shape his self identity. He chooses to write, unlike his father and grandfather’s profession. However, towards the end there is an indication that maybe there was some influence from family heritage. He indicates that he digs using his pen. An indication that despite that his family heritage does not directly affect his self identity, there is a trace of influence.

The people in me by Robin Kelley is another example of influence by family heritage. According to the author, his family has been living with the question of race for a long time. It is a factor that is evidently affecting the elf identity of the writer (Steen 31). Many people still ask the writer what race that he comes from. Family heritage is not only affecting the writer but his sister and brother. Many people confuse her with people from Sri Lanka, Ethiopian or a Bengali despite the fact that she is an African-American woman. On the other hand, his brother had trouble explaining that he was an African-American because of his appearances (Steen 31). In accordance, this lead to him moving to Japan and married a Korean woman passing for Japanese. This has the meaning that family heritage has an impact on the self identity of the writer and his family.

Family heritage can either inhibiting or contributing to the self identity of an individual depending on the choice of an individual (Steen 31). In digging, personas father made a decision allow the traditions of his family to affect his self identity. On the other hand, the persona does not allow his family heritage to influence him. This is an indication that it is a personal decision the extent unto which heritage affects self identity. On the other hand, there is the people in me by Robin Kelley indicates a family having identity problem borrowed from their families. Contrary to the expectations, these individuals have little, if any, influence of their self identity.

Work Cited

Collins, Floyd. Seamus Heaney: The crisis of Identity. Delaware: University of Delaware Press, 2004.

Sutcliffe, C. Heaney and Clake. New York: Hienemann, 2006.

Steen, Shannon. AfroAsian Encounters. New York: New York University Press, 2006.