Task: Compare how two different cultures treat a subject, custom, or practice.

For Helpful Resources, click HERE

Moira Kaluzienski
Hon English 12 PD 3

One aspect of culture that is universal over the world is marriage. It is always an exciting time in

anyone’s life that brings new beginnings. Everyone around the world celebrates weddings but how they

celebrate them can be very different. In American and Ghanaian culture, the meaning of marriage is love,

loyalty, and the blending of two lives; however, they are arranged and celebrated differently in the two

cultures (Owen).

In both cultures, religion plays a significant role in the celebration of marriage. Religion is used in

the ceremonies, rituals, and attire for the wedding (Owen). Ghanaian and American women both wear

wedding dresses that coincide with their own religion, culture, and beliefs. In American culture,

depending on how you want to present yourself in front of your friends and family, the bride will choose a

style, based on their own preferences, of what is normally a white dress. Woman in Ghanaian culture are

allowed to choose their dress but these traditional dresses are very different from American wedding

dresses; they are very colorful with patterns on them in some type of way (“Ghana”).

Unlike American culture, Ghanaian culture has a majority of arranged marriages. Most parents, a

lot of the decision based on the father’s opinion, find a husband for their daughters. When a potential

husband comes to introduce himself to the family or ask for the woman’s hand in marriage, traditionally

called “knocking”, he brings gifts including alcoholic beverages, food, cloth, and other expensive gifts, as

well as a bride price which he is willing to pay in order to marry the woman. (“Ghana”). In the novel

Homegoing, this is exactly what all of the potential husbands did; they went to visit Effia and her family,

bearing gifts for them and offering a bride price (Gyasi). James Collins, one of Effia’s potential husbands

visited Effia’s family’s compound and presented thirty pounds and twenty five shillings a month in

tradable goods (15). In American culture, potential husbands do not go to the woman’s home to bring

gifts or offer a bride price to the family. The decision of marriage is one for both of the individuals, not

just the male and the parents of the female. In Ghana, the father of the woman is allowed to accept or
 Task: Compare how two different cultures treat a subject, custom, or practice.
For Helpful Resources, click HERE
Moira Kaluzienski
Hon English 12 PD 3
reject the man without consulting with his daughter first (“Ghana”). This can be seen as disregardful to

the women in Ghana by people in American society.

However, similar to Ghanaian culture, the men in America usually ask the father or both of the

parents of the woman for her hand in marriage but without the bearing of expensive gifts (“Ghana”).

Despite asking for the woman’s hand in marriage, in Ghanaian culture, where the woman knows almost

all of the details to when she is getting married, American woman have no idea. Once the man asks the

father, it is a surprise for the future bride; she doesn’t know when he is proposing or what the ring looks

like (Effah). For a lot of American women this is one of the most exciting parts of the whole experience.

Marriage is a special event and coming of age in all cultures no matter how it is orchestrated or

celebrated. Although, the American and Ghanaian cultures have a different way of dealing with marriage,

in both cultures marriage and weddings are very important to both of the spouses and the surrounding

family.

Works Cited

Effah, K. B. (1999). A reformulation of the polygyny-fertility hypothesis. Journal of Comparative

Family Studies, 30(3), 381-408. Retrieved from
 Task: Compare how two different cultures treat a subject, custom, or practice.
For Helpful Resources, click HERE
Moira Kaluzienski
Hon English 12 PD 3
https://search.proquest.com/docview/232585410?accountid=1151

"Ghana: Dating and Marriage." CultureGrams Online Edition, ProQuest, 2018,

online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?cid=61&cn=Ghana&sname=D
ating_and_Marriage&snid=12. Accessed 14 December 2018.

Gyasi, Yaa. Homegoing. Anchor Canada, 2017

Owen, Robert. Annals of American History, america.eb.com/america/article?articleId=385898.

Accessed December 14, 2018

Score of 5 (90-100%)

This response demonstrates consistent mastery, although it may have minor errors. This response
● effectively states a claim and offers insightful thinking.
● develops the claim using clear reasoning and well-chosen evidence.
● is well-organized, focused, and coherent.
● demonstrates effective style through purposeful language and sentence structure.
● demonstrates command of conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Score of 4 (80-89%)
This response demonstrates adequate mastery with occasional lapses in quality. This response
● states a claim and offers sound thinking.
● develops the claim using mostly clear reasoning and appropriate evidence.
● is generally organized, focused, and coherent.
● demonstrates appropriate style through varied language and sentence structure.
● generally demonstrates command of conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Score of 3 (70-79%)
This response demonstrates partial mastery, but it has one or more flaws. This response
● states a claim but may need more consistent thinking.
● may develop the claim using unclear reasoning or uneven evidence.
● may lack organization, focus, and coherence.
● may demonstrate inconsistent style, including some vague language or sentence errors.
● may show weaknesses in use of conventions of standard English grammar and usage.

Score of 2 (60-69%)
This response demonstrates little mastery and is marred by one or more weaknesses. This response
● states a vague or limited claim and offers weak or inconsistent thinking.
● uses unclear reasoning and insufficient evidence.
 Task: Compare how two different cultures treat a subject, custom, or practice.
For Helpful Resources, click HERE
Moira Kaluzienski
Hon English 12 PD 3
● is poorly organized, lacking focus and coherence.
● demonstrates ineffective style, including simplistic or incorrect language and sentence structure.
● contains errors in conventions that sometimes hamper meaning.

Score of 1 (50-59%)
This response demonstrates a lack of mastery and serious flaws. This response
● does not state a clear claim and demonstrates weak thinking.
● offers little, if any, reasoning or evidence.
● is disorganized, rambling, or incoherent.
● has errors in language and serious flaws in sentence structure.
● contains numerous errors in conventions that consistently hamper meaning.

Score of 0
No response or a response that is completely irrelevant will receive a score of zero.