Analysis Of The Article Body Rituals Among The Veldt ...

â€Å"Body Rituals Among the Nacirema,† is a satirical article written by Horace Miner in 1956. The article is about a North American tribe named Nacirema and goes into detail about the tribe’s body rituals. Nacirema (word play for American) customs are set in an unfamiliar environment and presented as exotic. The demonstration of how one may perceive other cultures was by describing American culture differently. The unfamiliarity allows an outsider perspective; it increases the ability to see the strange in the familiar. Cultures have different notion of what is normal and what is strange. The use of parallel structure displays how we may view cultures that do not abide the same norms and shows the ethnocentrism. American culture is not as normal, as it seems, therefore we should respect the cultures outside of our own. The body rituals were in relations to hygiene, health practices, and cosmetic surgeries in American culture. These rituals were portrayed in an unfamiliar way in order to be able to see the strangeness of American culture, through the use of terminology and word play. Terminology such as: rituals, ceremonies, shrines, and temples, terms known to have association when describing native tribes. This is in relation to guiding individuals to acknowledge that the way an outsider sees American culture similarly can be the way they perceive other cultures. In western culture, foreigners with different customs are seen as exotic and strange. Additionally, there are theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Article Body Ritual Among The Veldt By Horace Miner Essay1084 Words   |  5 PagesHorace Miner’s article â€Å"Body Ritual among the Nacirema† is an amazing article that makes people that do not believe their unique grasp the concept that everyone is indeed unique. Miner wrote t his article about Americans as Americans generally believe that other countries have rituals while we are just plain with no uniqueness. Miner uses a language that is not typical among american literature. He has a strategy of using words such as: Supplicant, Witch doctor, household shrine, etc in order to makeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Body Ritual Among The Veldt By Horace Miner1317 Words   |  6 Pagesmankind as a whole. In the article â€Å"Body Ritual among the Nacirema† by Horace Miner, the introduction of a new cultural perspective crosses the boundaries of today’s societal norms. Horace Miner is mainly known for his studies in mankind, and as an anthropologist he must take into consideration, without preconceived opinions the variety of unique cultures within the human race. The Nacirema is a group living in North America whose culture, through the perspective of Horace Miner showcases human behavior