Cultural Conformity in Literature and Literary Theory

Cultural Conformity: Etymology, Meanings and Concept

Etymology:

• The term “conformity” originates from the Latin word “conformitas,” derived from “conformare,” meaning “to form” or “to shape together.” The concept of cultural conformity emphasizes the alignment of individual behavior, beliefs, and practices with prevailing cultural norms.

Meanings and Concept:

• Alignment with Norms: Conformity involves individuals adhering to the shared beliefs, values, customs, and behaviors within a particular culture.
• Social Harmony: It contributes to social cohesion by minimizing deviance from established cultural norms, fostering a sense of unity and shared identity.
• Normative Pressure: Individuals may conform due to normative influence, driven by the desire for social acceptance, approval, and avoidance of social sanctions.
• Cultural Transmission: Conformity facilitates the transmission of cultural traditions, ensuring continuity and stability across generations.
• Adaptation: Conformity allows societies to adapt to changing circumstances by reinforcing behaviors deemed appropriate for collective well-being.
• Social Control: It serves as a mechanism for social control, discouraging behaviors that deviate from accepted cultural standards.
• Expression of Identity: While conformity is often associated with uniformity, individuals may express their cultural identity through shared practices, reinforcing a sense of belonging.

Understanding conformity involves examining how individuals navigate societal expectations, negotiate individual identity within a cultural context, and contribute to the overall coherence and continuity of a given culture.

Cultural Conformity: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Cultural conformity, a theoretical term, refers to the process through which individuals within a society adhere to shared norms, values, and behaviors, aligning their actions with established cultural standards. It involves the adoption of prevalent customs and practices, contributing to social cohesion and a sense of collective identity. Conformity is driven by normative pressure, social acceptance, and the desire for harmony within a cultural context.

Cultural Conformity: Theorists, Works and Argument

• Emile Durkheim:
  • Work: “The Division of Labor in Society” (1893)
  • Argument: Durkheim explored the concept of mechanical and organic solidarity, emphasizing how conformity is essential for social cohesion and the functioning of societies with diverse labor roles.
• Erving Goffman:
  • Work: “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” (1956)
  • Argument: Goffman’s dramaturgical perspective highlighted the role of conformity in individuals’ presentation of self, illustrating how people perform according to societal expectations.
• Solomon Asch:
  • Work: Asch Conformity Experiments (1951)
  • Argument: Asch’s experiments demonstrated the influence of group pressure on individual decision-making, revealing the power of conformity in shaping perceptions and behaviors.
• Herbert Mead:
  • Work: “Mind, Self, and Society” (1934)
  • Argument: Mead’s symbolic interactionism emphasized the role of language and symbols in conformity, illustrating how individuals develop a sense of self through social interactions.
• Stanley Milgram:
  • Work: Milgram Obedience Experiments (1961)
  • Argument: Milgram’s experiments delved into authority and obedience, revealing the extent to which individuals conform to authority figures, shedding light on conformity in hierarchical structures.
• Robert K. Merton:
  • Work: “Social Theory and Social Structure” (1957)
  • Argument: Merton’s Strain Theory examined how societal structures and cultural expectations contribute to deviance or conformity, highlighting the impact of cultural norms on individual behavior.

Cultural Conformity: Major Characteristics

1. Shared Norms and Values:
   • Conformity involves individuals adhering to commonly accepted norms, values, and behavioral standards within a given society or community.
2. Social Acceptance and Approval:
   • Individuals often conform to cultural norms to gain social acceptance, approval, and avoid potential social sanctions or exclusion.
3. Normative Pressure:
   • Normative influence plays a significant role, where individuals conform due to the perceived expectations and behaviors of others within their cultural context.
4. Cultural Transmission:
   • Conformity facilitates the transmission of cultural traditions, customs, and practices across generations, ensuring cultural continuity.
5. Social Cohesion:
   • Conformity contributes to social cohesion by fostering a sense of unity, shared identity, and a feeling of belonging among members of a culture.
6. Adherence to Traditions:
   • Individuals conform to cultural practices and rituals, maintaining a connection to tradition and reinforcing a sense of continuity with the past.
7. Internalization of Cultural Beliefs:
   • Conformity often involves the internalization of cultural beliefs, shaping individuals’ worldviews and influencing their attitudes and behaviors.
8. Expression of Identity:
   • While conformity implies uniformity, individuals may express their cultural identity through shared practices, contributing to cultural diversity within the broader conformity framework.
9. Socialization Processes:
   • Conformity is fostered through socialization processes, where individuals learn and internalize cultural norms from family, education, media, and other social institutions.
10. Role in Social Control:
    • It serves as a mechanism for social control, discouraging behaviors that deviate from accepted cultural standards and reinforcing a sense of order within the society.

Understanding these major characteristics provides insights into how conformity shapes individual behavior, societal structures, and the overall dynamics of a given culture.

Cultural Conformity: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance
Cultural Criticism	Examines how literature reflects and critiques cultural norms, providing insights into how characters conform to or resist societal expectations.
Feminist Literary Theory	Explores the impact of conformity on gender roles, scrutinizing how literature portrays or challenges societal expectations placed on individuals.
Postcolonial Literary Theory	Analyzes how conformity is enforced or resisted in the context of colonial legacies, exploring the dynamics of power and identity in literature.
Marxist Literary Criticism	Investigates how literature reflects class structures and cultural norms, emphasizing how characters conform or rebel within socio-economic frameworks.
Psychoanalytic Literary Theory	Considers the influence of conformity on individual psychology, exploring characters’ behaviors and identities shaped by societal expectations.
Reader-Response Literary Theory	Examines how readers interpret conformity in literature, emphasizing the role of reader expectations and cultural background in shaping interpretations.
Existentialist Literary Theory	Explores how characters grapple with or rebel against cultural norms, emphasizing individual agency and the quest for authenticity in the face of conformity.
Structuralist Literary Theory	Analyzes the structures and patterns of conformity embedded in literary texts, focusing on recurring themes, symbols, and narrative conventions.

Cultural Conformity: Application in Critiques

. “Norwegian Wood” by Haruki Murakami:

• Application of Cultural Conformity: Murakami’s novel explores themes of love, loss, and cultural expectations in Japanese society during the 1960s. A critique using conformity analysis would delve into how characters conform to societal norms and the impact on their relationships, highlighting the clash between individual desires and societal expectations.

2. “The Vegetarian” by Han Kang:

• Application of Cultural Conformity: Kang’s novel, set in South Korea, examines the conformity surrounding societal expectations, particularly regarding gender roles. A critique employing cultural conformity analysis would explore how characters resist or succumb to cultural norms, shedding light on the complexities of individual agency in a traditional Asian context.

3. “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan:

• Application of Cultural Conformity: Tan’s novel delves into the experiences of Chinese-American women and their relationships with cultural traditions. A critique using conformity analysis would focus on how characters navigate between their cultural heritage and the pressures of assimilation, exploring themes of identity and generational conflicts.

4. “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy:

• Application of Cultural Conformity: Roy’s novel set in India explores the impact of cultural norms on individuals, particularly addressing caste and societal expectations. A critique employing conformity analysis would examine how characters challenge or conform to traditional norms, emphasizing the consequences of societal expectations on personal freedom.

In these critiques, conformity is applied to novels that provide insights into the complexities of characters’ relationships with their cultural contexts in Asia or within foreign settings. The analysis explores how cultural norms shape characters’ identities, choices, and interpersonal dynamics.

Cultural Conformity: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Cultural Hegemony	Dominance of a particular cultural group’s values
Cultural Relativism	Understanding behaviors within their cultural context
Cultural Imperialism	Spread of one culture’s influence over others
Cultural Capital	Non-financial social assets influencing conformity
Cultural Appropriation	Adoption of elements from another culture
Cultural Hybridity	Mixing of different cultural elements
Cultural Dissidence	Resistance or opposition to dominant cultural norms
Cultural Determinism	Belief that culture shapes and controls behavior
Cultural Reciprocity	Exchange and mutual influence between cultures
Cultural Commodification	Turning cultural elements into marketable goods

Cultural Conformity: Suggested Readings

1. Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. Anchor Books, 1985.
2. Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Harper & Brothers, 1932.
3. Kang, Han. The Vegetarian. Hogarth, 2007.
4. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. One Hundred Years of Solitude. Harper & Row, 1967.
5. Murakami, Haruki. Norwegian Wood. Vintage International, 1987.
6. Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. Random House, 1997.
7. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1989.
8. Durkheim, Emile. The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press, 1893.
9. Goffman, Erving. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books, 1956.
10. Merton, Robert K. Social Theory and Social Structure. Free Press, 1957.