Culture is and will always be a complicated idea, delineating how different peoples communicate and interact with each other. It not only covers where people are born or the language they speak, but also their values, behaviors, beliefs and symbols that shape who we are as people. Ariel Dorfman, in "The Nomads of Language," pointed out that the backbone of culture as a whole is language. Essentially, without language culture may not exist because it is the primary way people communicate. It is what fundamentally differentiates us from other animals. In Eva Hoffman's essay "Introduction", which is part of the essay series The Inner Lives of Cultures, she talks about the power of language, but more importantly culture as a whole. Hoffman says, “…culture exists within us and constructs our consciousness and subjectivity, our perceptions, ideas, and even feelings” (Hoffman, 7). Tzvetan Todorov in his essay "Barbarism, Civilization, Cultures", also part of The Inner Lives of Culture, talks about the separation between being barbaric and civilized and what that has to do with culture. He states that a civilization does not take what is known as normal and imposes it on different people, but rather includes the foreign and “widens the circle of humanity” (Todorov, 16). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "City of Clowns," a short story by Daniel Alarcn about a young man, Oscar, whose father has just died, and his struggle to come to terms with his identity. It is set in Lima, Peru, where he moved when he was eight, but still considers it his hometown. He was originally born in a small mountain town called Pasco where there are few opportunities and many people in the town are poor. It is here that Oscar's mother meets Don Hugo, his father, although they spend much of their time apart because Don Hugo works in Lima. It's obvious that Oscar thinks the best thing his father ever did for him was move to Lima. The story opens with Don Hugo's death and his ex-wife and new wife cleaning the floors to pay off the debt he owed before he died. Carmela, is the woman for whom Don Hugo left Oscar and his mother, and they had three children together. Oscar doesn't seem bitter that his father left the family, as he had for many years. He says: “My father's death was nothing new. I knew it and there was no reason for it to be surprising or concerning. In fact, it wasn't." He works for a newspaper and is asked to write an article about clowns. During his journey he meets clowns, becomes a clown, and eventually realizes that his identity is eerily similar to that of his father. Oscar realizes that the diversity of the places he grew up in has greatly influenced him in his struggle to come to terms with who he truly is. This coincides with the main theme of the story, which is that where you come from and where you are headed has an impact on your life. These ideas are presented in the image of a clown, who is usually seen as feeling out of place, especially in Lima, and therefore hides his image and feelings with this extravagant exterior that hides who they really are underneath. Clowns” shows how culture is always plural and ever-evolving and how it influences how we identify ourselves and the people around us. The image of a clown is significant in this whole story. Starting when Oscar and his parents arrive in Lima for the first time and get off the bus. Don Hugo basically uses his son to get what he wants, like money from things he stealsfrom the houses for which he builds. The first glimpse of the image of a clown occurs when Don Hugo tries to take a box when they get off the bus, and when Oscar realizes that they have only brought bags, not boxes, his father smiles at him. This type of behavior signals what will happen later for Oscar and his relationship with his father. He explains "one more thing" his father has to do to make money. He would start a job for a wealthy family and show as much respect as possible. He would become familiar with his surroundings and make a mental note of every valuable item, taking on the outward appearance of a good and honest man, but inwardly devising his plan to steal when the time is right. This ties back to the clown's image of having, almost, two different personalities and knowing when to express which at the right time. Don Hugo also used different tactics such as pity, particularly towards the Ascárates, to get what he wanted. Simultaneously using his son as a tool to do so. This is evident when he goes to their house, where his wife works, and asks if he can say something if he hears about families at Oscar's new school needing construction work on their house. Another way of manipulating someone to get what you want through outward appearances. Oscar's name change while attending a prestigious school from his own, sometimes in Chino, and then in Piraña, shows how his change in environment affected him as a person. Since he didn't grow up with these kids, they see him as an outsider, and after hearing where he's from, have no association with that place beyond what they've heard, thus giving him that nickname for that sole reason. From the first day he was given the nickname, it haunted him throughout school. Oscar says: “I was a joke. A nerdy kid from the ghetto. I was too skinny. Too weak. Even when I played well or ran fast, they hurled insults at me. In San Juan we joked about how I would beat these pitucos, but the reality was different. They exercised their power carelessly, sometimes unconsciously. They could have cut me off with a comment or simply with silence." This laid the groundwork to connect Oscar with his father, instilling in him a desire to get revenge on these kids, and not in a nice way. Ultimately, he had seen his father do it for so long that it was nothing new to him. He was ecstatic at the thought that he would be able to enter the homes of these miserable children and steal all their belongings. While asking his father about this, Oscar points out his wide smile and how he leveled everything out. Don Hugo's smile once again links the association with a clown and how it ultimately had an effect on Oscar for years to come. They begin working in the family home of a boy, Andrés, who goes to school with Oscar. Throughout the trial the boy makes fun of Oscar, flaunting his wealth and so-called power over him. All the while Oscar isn't worried about it, knowing that he would eventually get his own sort of revenge against the boy who despised him just because of his class. Social class is also an important theme in “City of Clowns,” as whether you come from the city or the countryside determines how you are treated. Clowns approach social class beggars and are usually simply ignored by people, except children who enjoy the sight. Especially in a city like Lima, where violence was prevalent, people liked to show off their social class position. I think as Oscar got older and experienced different things with his father, he definitely changed. He explains that he did a lot of illegal things to make money,.