Cultural encounters are a common occurrence in human history. Their impact varies on cultures and individuals especially as they relate to questions of identity and self-worth. The cultural encounter in such a case becomes fundamental to one’s perception

Cultural encounters are a common occurrence in human history. Their impact varies on cultures and individuals especially as they relate to questions of identity and self-worth. The cultural encounter in such a case becomes fundamental to one’s perception of oneself and the cultures to which s/he relates. Explore how cultural encounters are manifested in literary works, specifically short stories from An Anthology of Short Stories from Five Continents, with particular reference to “Bella makes Life” by Lorna Goodison.
In the process of answering the TMA, you should make sure to include the below five sub questions:
1) How is the concept of cultural encounter treated in the short story ‘Bella Makes Life’?
2) Is the author, Lorna Goodison, aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does she manifest that awareness in terms of ideas and her selection of words?
3) Are the main characters of the short story aware of the cultural encounter theme? How does the author express their awareness?
4) What role do “clothes”, as treated in the short story, play in highlighting the theme of cultural encounter?
5) How is the final encounter between Joe and Ms. Blossom used to highlight the theme of cultural encounter in “Emma Makes Life”?