Icelandic Culture And Lifestyle example essay topic

What do you do when you meet someone for the first time? Most people shake hands with each other. This behavior is a habit for most Americans. However, the same act was quite different when my brother's friend tried to shake hands with my father. Although Korean culture has assimilated the handshake, a teenager shaking hands with an adult is still a cultural shock to many Korean adults. In a manner similar to this example, 101 Reykjavik also depicts the similarities and differences of cultures.

Iceland maintains the European cultures and adapted new American cultures to form the characteristics of their own; however, many of the factors make us feel strange and awkward, even though these factors are our part of life as well. Partying, drinking, and occasional sex have formed and still form a part in young American lifestyle. During New Years and Christmas, many people enjoy! ^0 hanging out! +/- with their friends in clubs or at other parties.

Fireworks also form a very important and traditional part of American celebrations. Although some behaviors in the party are not easy to notice here, the movie illustrates that several party practices are quite similar to those we experience in American. The movie also focuses on individual achievement, a value important to life in America, as well as many other societies around the world, including Iceland. In the beginning of the movie, Hlynur has no job and it could later be inferred he has never had a job. He is also unable to motivate himself to step out and search for an occupation. The unemployment office continuously sends Hlynur a letter to apply for a job, however he does not even try reading it.

Later in the movie, Lola and Hlynur have an argument while walking on the street. In this part, Lola criticizes Hlynur for not trying to find a profession. As we tend to think, people today must have a decent job to support oneself and the family, especially if that person is Hlynur's age. This notion is part of American lifestyle. In conjunction with Hlynur seeing no reason to find a job or contribute to society in a meaningful way, he also eventually sees no reason to live at all or wishes to find an escape from coping with the sexual relations in his family. Suicide and attempts at it are cultural taboos in America, however the maturity Hlynur achieved by his attempt to kill himself finally contributes to his own growth and progress.

Another example of achievement and progress can be seen through Hlynur's mother. As a single woman now, she participates in flamenco dance clubs and performs in front of audiences. For a female of that age, this act could be seen as a personal accomplishment and triumph. There were many aspects of 101 Reykjavik that were obvious adjustments to the weather. One adjustment to the weather was the clothing that the people wore. Since it is extremely cold in Iceland, these people's clothing must be warm; therefore, big bulky coats and sweaters were incorporated into their choice styles.

Another adjustment to the cold weather is the bathtub in the kitchen. Since the kitchen is usually warmer due to the stove and oven, it would be warmer to bathe in the kitchen than in any other room. Another adjustment to the cold weather is the recreational activities in which the characters participate. Since its so cold outside, the characters must find things to do inside like partying and hanging out with friends. Iceland is a very uninhabited country compared to other European countries.

It has an average of three inhabitants per square mile#. Most of the country is uninhabitable due to the climate as was seen in 101 Reykjavik. In fact, out of a total population of approximately 220,000 people, 177,000 of those people live in the capitol, Reykjavik#. In this respect, Iceland is unique compared to United States and Europe. Certain things in the film are similar to United States such as the bar / club scene. It seemed as though Hlynur lived for the weekends when he could go out to the clubs and bars, which is superficially very similar to how many people view college life in America.

However there was a scene in the movie during Thanksgiving where Hlynur gave a cigarette to a young child. This reminded me of Germany, because generally, Germans are known to be cigarette smokers. In contrast, to the perception of being European, all brand references were to American based companies owned by either R.J. Reynolds or Phillip Morris. Also in contrast to European ism, why was Thanksgiving being celebrated in Iceland in the first place? Is Thanksgiving not a purely American concept used to celebrate the survival of Old World settlers in the New World? Iceland had already been discovered and inhabited long before Christopher Columbus discovered the New World.

Thanksgiving must have been adopted some time after President Lincoln declared it an American holiday. Due to such influences, a viewer could also construe from the film that Icelandic culture and lifestyle seems to be influenced by US and Europe. According to the cultural relativism, we should respect each country's cultural differences, because all of the culture in the world is worthy without being judged by superior or inferior values to one's own way of life. That is why I would like to say island's culture through this movie would be considered as a distinct figuration.

However, we can talk about some strangeness after watching movie because individual's feelings can be able to existing, subjectively. Although, partying, drinking, and having a sex are a part of western cultures we can see everywhere, this movie draws an extreme phrase of social life. This aspect looks a little strange to us. Also, bisexuality which is portrayed through the relationships between Lola, Hlynur, and his mother, can be regarded abnormally. As one of the quotes states, !

^0 Lola will be his mum, and my mum will be his dad. And I'll be his brother, but his father too, and the son of his dad and of his grandmother and his mothers ex-lover.! +/- Although we are not eligible for blaming them, our society considers their behaviors as queer. We think it is completely deviant from our norms if we see sexual life to be done between men and women as a normal culture, generally. Suicide is also an odd and perplexing behavior in our society and others as well. Unexpectedly, this effort to die ends up resulting a good outcome for Hlynur: he gets a job and lives together with his mother, her lover, and their baby boy.

There is cultural shock, to some degree, anywhere and everywhere in all parts of the world. It is something that no one can avoid even if someone would not intend to. This movie made us look at the fresh look at Icelandic life, unfamiliar to us. Yet, comparing our own culture with theirs, we indirectly experience cultural shock and realize how difficult it is to comprehending others' behaviors.! +/-30 below zero, five hours of daylight, ! +/- as the movie quotes, Hlynur and other characters in the movie search for the light and purpose of life without! ^0 getting wrecked! +/- in their own unique ways dissimilar from our lives in America.