Comparing Ansary and The Lost Boys

According to Ansary, it is not possible for the mind to comply with the cultural requirements of two distinct cultural systems. He notes that “growing up bicultural is like straddling a crack in the earth. If the cultures are far apart—like those of Afghanistan and America—one feels an urge to get entirely over to one side or the other” (Ansary, 2003, p. 144). Here, he means that he and his siblings grew up with divided souls because they grew up with two souls and their responses to the bicultural upbringing were different. Ansary and the lost boys of Sudan confirm that it is not practical for someone to practice two cultures simultaneously.

A Comparison of Ansary and The Lost Boys

Even though Rebbeca was born and brought up in Afghanistan and grew up at a time when the country was still intact, she ended up shifting to the western culture. She got married to Bob Pettys, who was a business professor. Her husband liked her American attributes but did not show a keen interest in her exotic origin. Moreover, she decides to focus on the classic curriculum of the Western theatre, meaning that for her the East referred to New York. This highlights the complexity of maintaining cultural identity in a globalized world, where personal connections and professional aspirations often influence cultural affiliations.

In the same way, Riaz did not follow the Afghan culture. He did not experience the lost Afghanistan because he only spent a few years of his life there. Ansary, on the other hand, is torn between the American and the Afghani culture. He notes that he shifted his weight quite definitely to his American foot; that is why he cannot let go of the American culture and follow the Afghan culture. He says that his soul cannot let go of either of the two cultures even though he is not comfortable being bicultural. Ansary asserts that "My American self-makes me a little less Afghan" (Ansary, 2003, p. 145). Therefore, Ansary still upholds both the Afghani culture and the American culture because he feels like a misfit whenever he is trying to socialize with his original culture.

On the other hand, the lost boys of Sudan experienced a cultural identity crisis as grown-ups. The boys were forced to run away from their country as a result of a war. Unlike Ansary and his siblings, it is easy to identify the markers that represent the Dinka culture in the lost boys of Sudan. The markers of their culture include language, music, clothing, music, and dance. There are no clear markers of the Afghan culture in Ansary and his siblings though. Additionally, the lost boys are different from Ansary and his siblings because the values that they hold are clear. The values include hard work, education, faith, community, and family.

Adapting to American Culture

Ansary and his siblings do not encounter any difficulties in learning the American culture. However, the lost boys of Sudan face a lot of challenges and fears about life in the USA because the American culture is different from their culture. The lost boys have fears concerning food, technology, and cultural practices. Furthermore, the boys find it difficult to find jobs, make friends, pursue education, and get around the USA, which is not the case with Ansary and his siblings who are used to the American culture. This disparity highlights the varying degrees of cultural adaptability and integration challenges faced by different immigrant groups.

The lost boys of Sudan experience the challenges of being bicultural, which is why they are compelled to adapt to the culture in the USA through acculturation and assimilation. They get assimilated into the aspects of clothing, not traveling in groups, not holding hands in public, and adopting the American slang. Regarding acculturation, the main aspects that are affected include attending reunions, eating traditional food, dances, and songs. Furthermore, the Lost Boys of Sudan are more aligned to their culture because they exhibit responsibility towards their families that are still in Africa; the boys send their families money, and they strive to bring some of the family members in Africa.

Conclusion

Ansary's family seems to have embraced the individualistic tendencies of the American culture, which is why they do not exhibit a high level of responsibility towards their other family members who could still be in Afghanistan. Even though Ansary expresses hope that Afghanistan will come back to his feet with the help of the international community, he does not put much effort into bringing the change. The lost boys, on the other hand, advocate for awareness and change in their home country. They desire to go back to their country and be community leaders, which is not the case with Ansary and his siblings who seem to be content with their lives in America.

Therefore, the examples that Ansary provides about himself and his siblings confirm that one cannot follow two different cultures at the same time. The American culture and the Afghanistan culture are far apart, which is why a bicultural person feels the urge of giving up one culture and following the other. Furthermore, the struggles that the lost boys of Sudan go through to get used to the American culture demonstrate that it is not practical for one to balance two cultures in his or her life. Their desire to return to Africa confirms that they are more aligned with their native Dinka culture.

Works Cited

Ansary, T. (2003). West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story. Macmillan.

The Lost Boys of Sudan.