New To The Italian Culture example essay topic
372 words
Almost all cultures share one or more aspect with another culture. When this happens, it is called a cultural universal. In the instance of the Italian culture, weddings or marriage is their common feature that is prevalent in all cultures. In a more specific area, which is cultural variation, the weddings have their own unique characteristics. In Italy, after the wedding, the new couple travels by boat to their next desired location. In addition to the common use of boats in Italy, they are also considered a culture trait. The Italians mainly use the boats for transportation. This idea is nothing new to the Italian culture. On the contrary, a new culture pattern is developing. In other cultures, women have escaped the traditional rules of women. The same can be said for the woman of Italy. This idea may be considered to be risqu'e or abnormal.
A norm is a commonly accepted action in a culture. In Italy, hanging linens outside is an everyday task. If it were to rain, the Italians would see the rain as an insult. When traveling from place to place in Italy by boat, there are strict speed limits that must be followed. If they are not, it is considered a taboo. Going over the speed limit with your boat could increase the chance of flooding the cities.
Folkways, on the other hand, are slightly more serious. An example would be to wear anything but black after a family member passes away. Extreme cases are considered to be mores, which are extreme wrong doings, almost to the extent of committing a crime. Italian Americans have very strong values that are shared throughout.
One very important value of Italians is the Catholic religion. This goes hand in hand with nonmaterial culture. In addition to religion, celebrations bring the people of their culture together and provide a place to spend quality time together while having fun. On the other hand, material culture is easily found with food. The Italians view food as romance. It is almost as romantic as their spoken language.
