Analysis of Everyday Life

Dora Melara
WMST250
Sec 0105
April 21, 2008

Assignment 3- The Analysis of Everyday Life
There is power surrounding us in our everyday lives and sometimes we do not even notice it. There is power in our government, school, work, and even our homes. The government controls our country where we live. They control economy and all the other government issues. What they decide influences what happens to the citizens and what they can do. In school, the school’s principal or dean make decisions that affect the student body and faculty. Even though the principal and dean are on top in the school they still have someone above them that has even more power. When we all work, most of us all have a boss telling us what to do. When we are a child even up into our adult life if we are still living with our parents, they are the ones controlling us. They have power over most of us because most of the time they are the ones taking care of us with food and shelter. I say most of us because sometimes there are people who still live with their parents but are in charge of their own life. I know someone who is 20 years old and lives with his mom but she has no control over him because he works and pays rent but I know another person the same age and with a job but his parents do have control over certain things he may do. Power is everywhere. In everything we do there is somebody above us who has more power than we do.
Power can be shown through a matrix of domination. There are two categories when it comes to who has power in the matrix of domination. They are unmarked and marked categories. Unmarked categories are the dominating, privileged, and powerful. The marked categories are specific, subordinate, oppressed, and powerless. Race, gender, class, sexuality, able-bodiedness, language, religion, nationality, and age are the sub-categories of unmarked and marked categories. But through the years they can change historically and contextually. This matrix of domination can be shown in our everyday lives. Think about the example I gave in my introduction about the school’s dean. It is usually a Caucasian male, but not all the time. When I think of a dean, I think of a white guy and being white and a male are the unmarked categories in the matrix of domination. You do not even have to go to the highest power in the school. Thinking back the past two semesters I have been at the University of Maryland, almost all of my instructors have been white with the exception of two and they are both from Asia. Who will succeed the most in the end? Just look at the matrix of domination in the unmarked category. And with this I am leading in to the category of race.
The first category in the matrix of domination is race. The unmarked category is white. The marked categories are Black, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian. This category is not stable. In the 1870s the categories for race were white, colored (Blacks), colored (Mulattoes), Chinese and Indian. In 1950 it was just White, Black, and other. Now it includes many more. This is an example of how history is an ever-changing thing. It was such a big deal back in the days of slavery up into the 1960s. This separation of Whites and Blacks caused much turmoil in those days. Blacks were looked down upon. They were indeed slaves. The White person had control in everything they did. Then slavery got abolished but the problem continued. Blacks were still not seen us important enough to mix with Whites. They were both still separated. They could not use the same things. Everything was marked with either Whites Only or Colored Only. Then the civil rights movement came in and the separation became equal. But even now, Whites are the unmarked category meaning they are the privileged ones and Blacks are under the marked category meaning oppressed. It was suppose to be that after the Civil Rights movement, Blacks would not be seen as oppressed but they still are. And is not only with Blacks now also with Hispanics. Now with this whole immigration business, Hispanics are being attacked a lot.
In this category, I fall into Latino/Hispanic. It is in the marked categories meaning it is oppressed. But I do not consider it being oppressed because I have two cultures in my background. I have the American culture and also my Hispanic culture. I learn a lot more of the world and different cultures. I can also teach other people who only have one culture about mine. I can tell a person who is from an American culture about my Hispanic culture and they can learn about it and vice versa. It makes their knowledge grow. For example, in my Hispanic culture, when a girl turns 15 years old, her parents throw her a huge party because when a girl turns 15 she turns into a woman. It’s the same as when a girl who is American turns 16, the parents throw her a Sweet 16 party. In the Hispanic culture it is called Quinceñera. Ii is composed of having a church service and then a party. In the party, the Quinceñera and her maids of honor with their guy partners do a dance routine. It is very nice. I remember I was telling one of my friends about this and they were very interested in the information. Therefore I don’t consider me being Hispanic as oppression. I see it as a way to expand my cultural background. But I can see why it can be an oppressed category because there are many stereotypes about Hispanics. One that affects me is the stereotype that most Hispanic girls do not go to a university. They either only achieve a high school diploma or go to a two-year college. They usually get pregnant before that. But I have overcome that stereotype and I guess that makes me privileged not oppressed.
Nationality can tie into race. U.S. citizen is the unmarked category while undocumented, alien, and immigrant are the marked categories. It ties with race because usually other races than white are immigrants rather than U.S. citizens. This is a big issue now because we see all the immigration laws being put into place and it is hurting Hispanics the most. I know Hispanics that are afraid of going outside because they do not want to be deported back to their country. Especially in the Prince William County in Virginia, they have put very strict laws against undocumented people. There are immigrants who would dread to go down to even Virginia since they do not understand English, they do not know where the immigration enforcers would be. I know that sometimes they would go to a 7-11 since a lot of undocumented men are standing there ready for someone to pick them up and take them to work, and ask each of them for their IDs and if they did not have it, they would be taken into custody and most likely deported back to their country. Just recently it was in the news that even police officers would stop a car just to ask for Hispanic people for the documents. I think that just took it way too far because police officers are not immigration officers. Immigration officers are the ones that need to do that.
I am a U.S. citizen but my parents are not. My mom just recently got her resident card. When I was younger, there was a fear that my parents could get deported and leave me here by myself. With this category, I guess I can say I was oppressed even though I am a U.S. citizen. I never really thought that my parents would get deported. I would dread that idea. So I just kept it in the back of my mind. In this issue is where we see the power our government has. It can make decisions that can split families apart.
The next category is the socio-economic status. Upper-class and middle-class are the unmarked and working-class and poor are the marked. For the first time my category is in the unmarked. I am middle-class. The class influences a lot. It influences in where you live, what you can eat, what you can buy. It influences many things. In this category, I consider myself privileged. I always got what I wanted not wanting to brag but it is true. My parents are very hard workers and because of that we got to be middle-class. It may not be upper class but we still get to splurge on some things. But it was not always like that. When my parents first got here, they were so poor. My mom tells me she was living with 20 people in one apartment. In her bedroom, 5 or 6 people slept there. She has come out of that now though as well as my dad. My mom always gets what my sister and I want. She also gets things she likes too. We got a very nice house and there is always food on the table, which are the most important things. Each of us has a car except my sister because she is only 6 years old. People who are poor are not able to afford cars. Sometimes they may not even have food on the table. That can be very heartbreaking to know there are kids out there who may not have dinner tonight. We are very blessed to have these things. My parents have taught us to never things for granted and I know I try not to.
I think our education level is also a big category even though it is not mentioned. The unmarked category for it can be getting a college degree while the marked would be just a high school diploma. I am in college and I want to get a degree. Education level can be linked with our social class. Upper-class students, ones who go to prep school, usually end up going to Ivy League school. If not that, they do get into a college because they have the money for it. While the poor, who go to an inner-city school, do not really get the chance to go to college because they may have a lot of debts and need to work as soon as they finish high school. Many do not even finish high school because of certain issues. They usually end going straight to work at a factory or a mall or some may enter into an office job but not a big one maybe one at an insurance office or they work at real estate. Many people make fun of them by saying that the words they need to remember are “Do you want fries with that?” Race can also be linked with this category. Colleges are usually filled with Caucasians instead of other races. I know for a fact that not many Hispanics go to college because I am in college and I do not see many Hispanics around campus. It really is a privilege for me to be in college and do something with my life. I know however high I get in my education; I will succeed in my life and hopefully not suffer from being poor.
Sexuality is one that may change overtime. It has changed over time so far. The dominate category is heterosexuals. The others are gay, lesbians, bisexual, queer, and transgendered. I am heterosexual. I have a boyfriend right now. This issue has been in debate for a long time now and also has been shown in the news many times. Gays and lesbians want to be able to get married but most states are not allowing it. Some have only allowed civil unions. They say that marriage is between only a man and a woman not man with man or woman with woman. Those people are oppressed because they want to get married. They want people to know that they love each other as a man and woman do. They want the world to know as do heterosexual couples. In school, issues of gays and lesbians are not talked about as much as heterosexual issues. It shows that America is still not completely ready for homosexuals. That it is, that they are still not comfortable with that issue. I do not know how the rest of the world stands with this issue unless they are Christians who follow the bible very well. Because in the bible it does say homosexuals will not enter the kingdom of God. So obviously they are against it and with this I go into the next category: religion.
There are so many religions around the world but the unmarked category is Protestant Christian. The marked are Jewish, Muslims, Catholic, Buddhist, and others. I guess those are marked because of the persecution they have had. I know that Muslims were persecuted by the Christians during the crusades, which failed entirely. And yet here in America when 9/11 happened, when someone saw a Muslim they would say, “You did this!” Jewish people have also been persecuted terribly. The Nazis eliminated so many of them. They suffered so much at the concentration camps. They worked really hard and barely got any food. They were starved. When the Nazis saw that a prisoner could not work anymore they would send them to the gas chambers and have them gassed to death. This is all just sad but it goes to show that what you believe in can have dire consequences. I am Christian but not Protestant Christian. I am a Pentecostal Christian. I do not know if it still falls into the unmarked category. Pentecostal Christians follow the Bible closely. It is their spade as it is said in the bible. It is the word of God and we have to follow it. I do not consider myself very religious but it is very important to me. I believe that God has blessed me with many great things. I used to think that Catholics were the dominate category since I hear so much of it and now with the Pope here, it is heard about even more. I used to be Catholic but last year I converted to Christianity and have found it to be much more fulfilling. I do not want to put any other religions down. I just want to express my feelings toward my religion. Like I said before I do not know if it still falls under the unmarked category. I think it still does since it is still Christianity just a different sect.
In the category of language, I fall into both marked and the unmarked category. I speak both English and Spanish fluently. With this I believe I am privileged. There are not many people out there who speak two languages fluently. My parents told me that a person who speaks two languages is valued as two people. It is a big plus when you want to go apply to a job. Especially in the area we live where there are many people who cannot speak English only Spanish. I am able to help those who need to translate things. Even in my home, my parents always ask me and use me to translate things for them. I remember one time I was at the Stamp Union eating lunch and two Spanish ladies came up to me and asked me to help them fill out an application because it was in English and they could not understand some of the questions. I felt good because it showed how well I can deal with both languages and mostly because I can help people around me. And for me that’s a big plus because I love to help.

The sub-categories I mentioned above, I believe are the most important at least in my case. In some of them, I am oppressed in others I am privileged. But I know of many people who are oppressed in each category. I can think of a person who is oppressed in each category. A Hispanic female who is poor, undocumented alien, has not received an education, and does not speak English. I know a person like that and it is sad. I would want that each person could all be equal and not be oppressed. But I also think that sometimes those people who are oppressed can come out of it. For example my mom when she came here she was dead broke. So she started working very hard and look at her now, she has a beautiful house with a huge bedroom just for her and my step-dad. Also, English is the dominant language right? So a person who is here can learn to speak English, I know at my church, they give free English classes. So they cannot say that they cannot afford it. It maybe that they do not have time because they are working very hard, but in the future it can be a possibility that they can learn English.
Now with the nationality issue, that can be a different story. It is very complicated. It is against the law to come to the United States without any documents, as an immigrant. The ones that do have already committed a crime. But their reasons for doing it is not because they want to commit that crime and say yea I am going to get away with it but that they want a better life. They were even more oppressed in their country because there they were dead broke or they were fleeing from a war. But there are associations that help them fill out an application to at least get immigrants a permit of being here in the United States but they have to follow the pre-requisites. There are many ways to come out of being oppressed. A person should not feel oppressed all their life especially here in the United States where there is so much more opportunity than in other countries.
The matrix of domination shows us the main categories and whether or not they are marked or unmarked. The categories race, gender, class, sexuality, able-bodiedness, language, religion, nationality, and age are all those categories. Some of them can even mix with each other as I mentioned above. For example, level of education can intermix with socio-economic status and race. I noticed that each category only has one specific element in the unmarked category except class. For example, race is white, gender is male, and sexuality is heterosexual and so on. I hope one day that may not be the case and that other elements from the marked category can go into the unmarked category. I know not all would be able to do that like class because in that category if you are poor you will always be oppressed. But I mean in like the category of race or even in language that could change one day. History is ever-changing and the matrix of domination can change with it we have seen it already.