First Short Paper: Community Celebrations of Birth
Humanities 160 – Birth, Sex, and Death
Topic
When a new baby is born or adopted, she’s not merely entering the world, but also entering into a whole set of communities – her family; the set of friends and extended family that will know her and watch her grow up; the region she grows up in; and possibly ethnic or religious communities, among others.
Traditionally, many communities have recognized the arrival of a new member with a celebration, and the celebration will be full of symbols representing central values or ideals of the community. (A symbol is something that stands for or represents something else; for example, a lion is a symbol of courage.) The clothes people wear, objects used, gifts given, actions taken, the location of the party, and the way the baby is dressed, for example, might all be symbolic. In the act of welcoming the new member, the community reaffirms its defining values and beliefs.
Instructions
Write a 1- to 2-page paper in which you
1. Identify the values and beliefs that are central to your way of thinking about yourself and your communities, then
2. Suggest some ways in which each of those values or beliefs could be represented in a community celebration of the birth or adoption of a new child. Explain in detail how each symbol you suggest is meant to represent a particular value or belief.
Think of yourself as creating a new celebration. If you’re a member of a religious group that has its own ritual for a new child, imagine a celebration that would happen in addition to the religious ritual, for example.
Try to imagine something that you and your friends/community would actually do, and be creative in the symbols you think of to represent your values and community!
Your paper should be in essay form and typed, double-spaced, and in 11- or 12-point font.
* I would suggest giving the new mother/parents some time to rest and holding the party at least a few days after the actual birth.
Here's a link to a pdf of the assignment: Community Celebrations of Birth
