Glad to be in America

This is one of those articles that makes me glad that I live in modern America. In this article "No Name Woman" by Maxine Kingston, the author is told in secret by her mother about an aunt who killed herself in China after commiting adultry. On the night the baby was born the village rummaged and plundered through the family's house killing lifestock and destroying their home. Talk about harsh. In America now having a baby is a joyous occasion, and neighbors tend to bring over cards, gifts, and dinners to the family. Asian culture is a very disciplined and honorable culture. What I found even more interesting was that her aunt the whole time never mentioned who the husband was. Was it out of fear? Respect? Honor? "If you tell any of your family I'll beat you, I'll kill you, be here next week." (394) When comparing this story of the aunt to a modern day American girl there will be many cultural differances. Back then the chinese thought of adultry as a huge deal one that people get shuned from the family for doing. "Could people who hatched their own chicks and eat the embryos and heads for delacacies and boil the feet in vinegar for party food leaving only the gravel, eating even the gizzard lining--could such people engender a prodigal aunt?" (393) As a matter a fact in most countries back then if you were to commit adultry you would probably be stoned. In our culture adultry isn't justified but certainly is seen everywhere in the media, the latest news on what celebrity cheated with what celebrity, stories of athletes cheating on thier wives, and yes even an internet site that makes lovematches for people that are tired of their husband/wife. (Heard about it on the Kevin and Bean show) So the consequences for adultry in the chinese culture are more harsh than the ones in our country. The effect that the sin of adultry had on the family and the whole entire village was shocking and is a very different approach than that of America. The family cursed the aunt saying she had never been born, and the village ransacked the house. In America despite the sin the family and the neighborhood for that matter usually rally behind the mom and give her all the support she needs. This is another example of how lucky we are to live in America at this time.