Judgment in the House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus Essay example --

People place judgment on one another every day based on differences. Sometimes it is done subconsciously; sometimes it is done on purpose. In the book The House of Sand and Fog, by Andre Dubus III, two different cultures were represented; Kathy represented the culture of the western civilization, whereas Behrani represented the culture of Persians. People judge one another based on unimportant things, and get judged based on those same things as well. Two cultures were used to amplify how different their cultures were from one another. Throughout the book cultures vocalized what they did not like about the other cultures by placing judgment on people based on ethnicity, appearance, and status; despite how different the cultures were, they had something in common, negative judgment. In a world where there is so much diversity, the only way for all cultures to get along is to place judgments aside and accept the differences. The book is introduced with Behrani placing judgment on the people he works with. He is judging the other people based on their race, and their status. Behrani refers to the men he works with as if they don't deserve to even be in his presence. "He is goh, the shit of life. They are all goh," (pg 16). Even though many of the men he works with do not deserve to be regarded so low, Behrani judges them as he would if he still maintained the position he had in Iran as a colonel. Behrani and his family also judge Kathy for being American. When Behrani explains to his son the situation their family is now a part of he explains it in a way that is judging of Americans. He says, "Remember what I have told you of so many Americans: they are not disciplined and have not the courage to take responsibility ... ...g, like it was in the book The House of Sand and Fog. Much of the outcome of the book was based on the fact that judgments were made, had judgment not been made about status, Kathy may not have cared so much about getting that house back, had Behrani not been judged based on status, he may have not bought that home. Cultures judge one another every day, and people within those cultures judge each other as well. This constant judging of others and of ones self is what causes people to be unhappy in the first place. The only way to live happily within ones culture, and in the world of many cultures, is to accept that each culture and person is different, which is what makes each culture and person so special; the only way to live happily in ones life, is to accept and embrace differences. Works Cited: Dubus, Andre. House of Sand and Fog. New York: Norton, 1999