The Beginning Of Labyrinth Of Solitude By Octavio Paz Essay

At the beginning of Labyrinth of Solitude, Octavio Paz compares periods of change and growth in a nation to that of an adolescent developing a sensibility of his own being. â€Å"He is astonished at the fact of this being and this astonishment leads to reflection: as he leans over the river of his consciousness, he asks himself if the face that appears there, disfigured by the water, is his own†¦eventually these features are seen as a face, and later as†¦a meaning, a history† (9-10). â€Å"To become aware of our history,† he explains, â€Å"is to become aware of out singularity† (10). With this newly found self-consciousness, the nation continues, better able to understand its own actions and its relation to the surrounding world. It is perhaps, in this spirit that Robert Bellah and his colleagues wrote Habits of the Heart. They remark in the updated introduction that they were provoked into self-consciousness by â€Å"worries about crime, moral decline, and deepening divides of income and opportunity† (vii). In the process of self-examination, the authors identify qualities and traditions they consider quintessentially American, and call upon readers to reclaim these traditions to preserve and improve the sense of community and commitment to others they consider crucial for national preservation. In developing their own sense of Americanism, the authors of Habits of the Heart rely heavily on the classic study of American culture outlined by the Frenchmen Alexis de Tocqueville inShow MoreRelatedMexico Mask Essay1422 Words   |  6 PagesThese three issues are prevalent throughout the culture and history of the nation. They are represented and mentioned in two descriptive texts and a film. The two texts include Ridings essay The Mexicans and a chapter of Octavio Pazs book, The Labyrinth of Solitude entitled Mexican Masks . The film was presented by the National Geographic Society as an overview of Mexican culture entitled The Mexicans: Through Their Eyes . All three representations of Mexican culture describe or exemplifyRead MoreThe Labyrinth Of Solitude By Octavio Paz2410 Words   |  10 Pagesincreasingly become a Latino city as they hosted countless festivals to celebrate the Mexican cultural holidays such as Cinco de Mayo, El Dia de Los Muertos and etc. In the book , The Labyrinth of Solitude, Octavio Paz discusses the generalization of Mexicans and emphasizes the idea of them preferring to be placed in solitude due to their fear of intimacy. The book even discusses the roles of a Mexican fiesta and cultural aspects of the Latino culture. By having Mexican holidays celebrated in Los Angeles