Today in this individual oral I’ll be exploring the global issue of culture, but more

specifically the idea of cultural assimilation as a result of migration. To do this I’ll be looking at
two different texts which examine this concept. The first is an artwork by Sara Rahbar, an Iranian
artist who migrated to the United States at a young age. The artwork titled *Memories Without
Recollection’ is a mixed media textile flag produced in 2008. The second text, the novel Brave
New World by Aldous Huxley is a science-fiction novel set in the futuristic society known as the
World State. Its inhabitants are created in conditioning centers with their destiny predetermined
at birth. One of the protagonists, John, who is born outside of the society on a reservation,
migrates to the World State with his mother. In the extract I have chosen from chapter fifteen
John rebels against the World State. An increasing number of people are either choosing to or
forced to migrate to foreign countries. As a result, migrants are faced with two different cultures.
In this oral, I’ll be exploring the question of how the two texts present the idea of cultural
assimilation as a result of migration.

Starting specifically with my extract, the artwork ‘Memories Without Recollection’

where Rahbar illustrates the joy and pride that comes along with embracing two cultures. The
base of Rahbar’s flag is the American flag as seen by its characteristic blue and white stars as
well as some visible red and white stripes. However, most of the stripes are covered and
interwoven with strips of traditional Persian fabric creating one cohesive flag. Instead of
separating the two, Rahbar has brought these two different cultures together. The strips of
traditional Persian fabric are proof of the lasting impact that Iranian culture has had on Rahbar’s
identity and her choice of inclusion in the flag delineates her affinity for that culture. The
intermingling of the two cultures communicates Rahbar’s idea that it’s not necessary to have one
dominant or singular culture but instead a harmonious mixing of the two. Furthermore, Rahbar
proposes that cultural assimilation does not require complete rejection of past culture.
Additionally, Rahbar’s use of vibrant colors such as yellow, green, pink, and blue show a
celebration of her two cultures. They illustrate the excitement and vibrancy that accompanies
living with a multicultural influence, and therefore the bright elements on the flag are an
appreciation of Rahbar’s situation. Rahbar views the melding of two cultures as something that
should be celebrated rather than something to be feared. However, the fact that the American flag
and the Persian materials are made of textiles is Rahbar’s way of demonstrating that culture is
merely a construct. Even though fibers can be shaped and spun into different materials
representative of different things, ultimately all materials are made out of fibers. Likewise,
regardless of the social construct of different cultures, at the end of the day we are all human. In
Rahbar’s metaphor the textiles represent people and the materials are the cultures that we create.
Therefore, Rahbar suggests that culture need not be so divisive and that unity should come from
the fact that we are all human. Hence, through her extract, Rahbar portrays cultural assimilation
to be a positive thing that should be celebrated. (2 minutes 50 seconds) Moving on to Rahbar’s
body of work, meaning her flag series, it can be seen that Rahbar incorporates similar techniques
in order to reinforce her um celebration of multiculturalism and acceptance. The absence of texts
such as the flag ‘The Fortune Teller’ or the minimal use of text in the flag ‘God Bless America’
is a common style choice that is seen throughout this body of work. Because of this Rahbar
focuses on the big picture, the artwork as a whole. This means that the emphasis of Rahbar’s
work lies in the ways its elements come together rather than in the individual small elements
such as text. This cohesion reflects Rahbar’s attitudes to the mixing of cultures and cohesion
between different groups of people. Also, her minimal approach to text may be because words
are specific to a language and hence can be divisive between nationalities. By choosing not to
incorporate text, Rahbar creates inclusive pieces that can be appreciated by anyone regardless of
nationality or culture, helping to bridge cultural gaps. Also, many of the flags in this series such
as ‘I Don’t Trust You Anymore’ and ‘A Time of Anxiety’ incorporate warfare elements such as
guns, bullets and armor as a common style feature. These war pieces incorporated into the flag
suggest a cultural rift and violence between the two countries. Rahbar’s flag seems to lament this
rift by trying to weave the two together but acknowledging the fact that they are divided. In these
flags, Rahbar protests against the violence a um between the two countries and a lack of
acceptance for each other’s cultures. More obviously however is Rahbar’s consistent use of the
flag motif. The flag is an easy way to identify nationality which ties you to a certain culture. By
creating a multicultural flag Rahbar challenges the idea that culture is singular and demonstrates
her pride in belonging to two different countries. Overall, throughout her body of work, Rahbar
exhibits the ability to accept and celebrate the influence of two different cultures on one’s own
identity and proposes the idea that cultural assimilation does not require complete rejection of
past culture but instead an integration of it. (4 minutes 48 seconds)

In contrast Huxley proposes a negative view on cultural assimilation in his novel Brave
New World. Through the character John, Huxley explores the idea that adapting to a new culture
is difficult especially if it is very different from the one that you were brought up in. I’ll begin by
examining this through an extract of chapter fifteen… which is situated in a hospital. Throughout
the extract, Huxley creates an angry tone and constructs a tense and violent atmosphere
conveyed by Huxley’s use of the words ‘hatred’ and ‘rage’. Huxley describes how John is
exasperated and throws insults while shouting. This would not be the case if John was accepting
of the World State’s culture and wanted to be a part of it. His anger is demonstrative in his
disdain for the World State and is proof of his rejection of it. Next, in line eighteen, Huxley
describes how John begins to throw soma pills out of the hospital window. Soma is a symbol for
the happiness seeking culture and the value of instant gratification in the World State as an
integral part of its society as it is ingrained into everyday life and hence is very distinctive of its
culture. Therefore, the act of throwing away soma is an act of rebellion. Huxley creates a
metaphor, comparing the discarding of soma to John’s rejection of the World State. Furthermore,
in line 1, John is referred to as a ‘savage’. The appointment of this nickname is evidence of
John’s inability to integrate and fit in with the World State’s citizens. Huxley illustrates how John
is brought within the values and characteristics of the reservation and was so different from
everyone else that he is considered to be mad and required a new name. In this context the
differences between John and the citizens is not seen as a positive thing as made evident by the
savage nickname which has primal connotations of a beast, of a monster. As a result, John is
stereotyped and alienated. As an extension of this idea, Huxley describes how John lacks a
connection with World State’s citizens and feels very unattached to them. This is seen when John
describes the people in a hospital as a ‘khaki mob’, which shows how he doesn’t recognize or
identify anyone. Also, John describes the citizens as ‘babies’ and ‘monsters’ which shows how
he feels very separate from them, and this is further proof that he is not assimilated into their
culture. Therefore, Huxley describes how both sides view the other as very strange and
monster-like (6 minutes 54 seconds).

Connecting this extract to the novel as a whole it is evident that this is not the only
chapter where Huxley demonstrates the difficulties of cultural assimilation and the dangers of not
doing so. Huxley foreshadows John’s complete rejection of the World State in chapter eleven
where he becomes physically ill after meeting the Bokanovsky group workers in the conditioning
center. This act of retching is a physical display of John’s immediate negative response to the
way in which society functions in the World State and is a biological rejection of this. Huxley
repeats this act again in chapter eighteen when John explains that he has vomited because he ate
civilization and this poisoned him. Elsewhere, Huxley’s characterization of John as an outsider
further highlights how he is not adopting the values of the place that he has migrated to. This is
seen in chapter thirteen as an example when he confesses his love for Lenina and suggests that
they should get married. John’s views on love are molded from his experience on the reservation
and hence is representative of the culture there. Huxley juxtaposes the character of Lenina as a
model citizen of the World State in order to symbolize these contrasting values and views. The
World State favors polyamory, frowns upon strong feelings like love, and pushes the view that
everybody belongs to everybody. For this reason, Huxley describes Lenina as very confused as
she can’t understand John’s point of view and thus Huxley is able to demonstrate that John’s
values are not representative of the culture that he has migrated to. Also, through John and
Lenina’s fast paced dialogue and irritated tones, Huxley presents the frustrations and conflicts
that can arise as a lack of acceptance for different ideals. Finally, Huxley ends the novel on
chapter eighteen with a series of events that culminate in John committing suicide. Huxley
creates a shocking image of John dangling from the ceiling to illustrate the devastating
consequences of the inability to merge two cultures. Here, the act of taking his own life is an
embodiment of John’s ultimate rejection of the World State. Also, through John’s jarring suicide,
Huxley is able to highlight and reveal the inner conflict which John faced overwhelmed by trying
to remain true to a set of values which were too different from the one that surrounded him.
Therefore, in his novel Brave New World, Huxley describes what the rejection of a culture and
place one has migrated to looks like and delineates the consequences of this including alienation
and suicide (9 minutes 6 seconds).
 In conclusion, Rahbar and Huxley present two different views on cultural assimilation.
Rahbar believes that two cultures can coexist within one person and can become merged into one
culture. On the other hand, Huxley describes a clash between two cultures that can’t coexist and
shows cultural assimilation to be near impossible. There is a choice, to accept or reject a culture,
and Rahbar chooses acceptance as the better alternative. Rahbar intermingles her two cultures
and thrives while John rejects one culture and dies. Therefore, acceptance brings peace, while
rejection creates conflict, both within and with others. This global issue of culture and identity is
significant as countless conflicts have been created over cultural differences and many fears
towards immigrants stem from the difference which they bring with them from previous homes.
This is a current and universal problem that is only increasing with globalization. If only one… if
only everyone held Rahbar’s views perhaps variations in cultures wouldn’t need to be so divisive
(10 minutes 0 seconds)…